SRINAGAR: A short, shaky video clip shot on a mobile phone has thrown an entire South Kashmir belt of village into a state of fear and confusion — is it an otter or a crocodile?
The clip, widely circulated on messaging apps, reportedly shows an aquatic creature moving in and out of the Srigufwara stretch of the Lidder Nallah, a fast-flowing stream that winds through the villages of Dharkhan (Hugam) and Pushkeerdi in the Bijbehara region. For residents of Hugam and its neighbouring hamlets, what used to be a lifeline for daily chores and summer baths has suddenly turned into a scene of unease.
Locals claim to have seen the animal, or multiple animals, more than once in recent days. They insist it is a crocodile, with some even claiming that two or three of them have been spotted climbing onto the stream banks. Several residents say they have captured video evidence.
The sightings have forced families to stop children from going anywhere near the water, disrupting their daily routine and sending waves of anxiety through the area.
“We don’t know exactly what it is,” a middle-aged woman was quoted as saying. “But it is not an otter. It’s bigger, darker, and moves differently. If it were harmless, we wouldn’t be so worried.”
Another woman said that the video that had gone viral is not fake, as they all have captured it on their cell phones. “We offered the sacrifices on Eid, but we did not go to the stream,” one resident said. “We are scared.”
However, wildlife experts aren’t convinced. “There’s no ecological basis for a crocodile to be present in Kashmir’s water bodies,” said a senior official from the Wildlife South Division, requesting anonymity. “Crocodiles are tropical and subtropical species; they cannot survive the winter here. What’s more likely is an otter or another aquatic mammal.”
In response to public alarm, the Wildlife Department has issued an advisory asking people to avoid bathing or washing in canals and streams in the area until further investigation is complete. A control room has been set up locally, and a wildlife team was reportedly dispatched to the site after Eid.
Otters, once native to Kashmir, have largely vanished over the years, although recent sightings in areas like Gurez’s Kishanganga river had hinted at a possible comeback. But even that has been patchy, and many locals in Srigufwara say they have never seen otters in their lifetime. Earlier, an alligator Gar fish was also reported from Dal lake.
Until the wildlife experts finish their assessment, the mystery and the fear continue to ripple across the villages.
For now, the residents can only wait. Whether it’s a long-lost otter or something far more exotic (and unlikely), the water will have to give up its secret soon. -(KL)
