Madras Crocodile Bank Trust Enters Its 50th Year

What Happened?

On 28 August 2026, the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology (MCBT), located at Vadanemmeli on the East Coast Road near Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, entered its 50th year of reptile conservation. Founders Romulus Whitaker and Zai Whitaker marked the golden jubilee by launching a nationwide 'Save the Reptiles' awareness campaign.

Key Highlights

• MCBT was founded in 1976 by herpetologist Padma Shri Romulus 'Rom' Whitaker along with Zai Whitaker.
• The 8.5-acre centre houses over 400 crocodiles, including 47 gharials, besides turtles, snakes, and lizards.
• The golden-jubilee campaign will cover 15,000 km across 22 states over 120 days, concluding in December 2026.
• MCBT also supports the Irula Snake Catchers' Industrial Cooperative Society, which supplies snake venom for antivenom production.

Tamil Nadu Relevance

India has three crocodilian species: the Mugger, the Saltwater crocodile, and the Gharial. The Gharial is Critically Endangered and listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The Irula community of Tamil Nadu is renowned for its snake-catching expertise.

3 TNPSC MCQs

1. Where is the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust located?
   (a) Chennai city (b) Near Mamallapuram (c) Coimbatore (d) Madurai
   Answer: (b) Near Mamallapuram
   Explanation: MCBT is located at Vadanemmeli on the East Coast Road, near Mamallapuram.
2. Who founded the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in 1976?
   (a) Salim Ali (b) Romulus Whitaker (c) George Schaller (d) M. Krishnan
   Answer: (b) Romulus Whitaker
   Explanation: Herpetologist Romulus Whitaker, with Zai Whitaker, founded MCBT in 1976.
3. Which crocodilian species is Critically Endangered and found at MCBT?
   (a) Mugger crocodile (b) Saltwater crocodile (c) Gharial (d) American alligator
   Answer: (c) Gharial
   Explanation: The Gharial is Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.