Say Hello! To Our Newest Family Members

 

Jetwing Vil Uyana is situated among reed beds and paddy fields and over the first man-made lake. Situated in the shadow of the historic rock fortress of Sigiriya, is what Harper’s Bazaar calls the Best Eco Luxury Hotel in Sri Lanka.

Several weeks ago, we were thrilled to find out that the resident crocodile at Jetwing Vil Uyana had nested for the first time (as per our records). She carefully guarded her precious eggs for over a month, coming ashore every now and then to inspect the nest site, and keep would-be predators at bay. With the standard hatching period for marsh crocodiles (between 55 and 75 days) slowly drew to a close, we were left wondering whether the nest had failed.

But to our joy, the female crocodile dragged herself ashore during nightfall few days ago and began carefully excavating her nest, immediately alerting the hotel’s associates that the young hatchlings were finally about to emerge. Drawn to the eggs by the young calling from inside the shells (a phenomenon we were fortunate enough to have heard!) the female gently extracted the hatchlings from the sand and, with a tenderness not associated with the huge reptiles, carried them to the water’s edge. We observed the female carefully biting through several eggs to release the young crocodiles as well.

By morning, the hatchlings were gathered by the water’s edge, basking in the sun, with the ever-vigilant mother standing guard in the water. The young will soon run a gauntlet of challenges from the predators looking to pick off the tiny reptiles but for now they are content, protected by their mother and taking in the brave new world into which they emerged last night.

We count ourselves fortunate to have been able to experience firsthand the nesting process of a wild crocodile and the powerful maternal instincts of these reptiles who are often dismissed as being cruel and vicious. It is a testament to the ecosystem of Jetwing Vil Uyana that all living things can live, thrive, and flourish in harmony with one another and natural processes can take place in front of our very eyes.

We will continue to observe the hatchlings over the coming weeks and bring you updates on their lives which are sure to be exciting and adventurous.

These baby marsh crocodiles are just a few days old and are still finding their way around their new world; having emerged from the nest at Jetwing Vil Uyana after our resident crocodile nested for the first time.

So far, the hatchlings have been hanging out near the nest site and have not entered the water (at least during our observations). They sunbathe and prey on little ants and termites that wander by, building up their strength for the countless trials that lay ahead of them.