New Delhi, June 17 -- An organism that hunted the dinosaurs, the crocodile (and its cousins like the alligator, caiman and gharial) has changed little in design from that time. It is this body design that has spelt immense survival success for this species.

Cultures across the world have idolised and deified the crocodile for it power, strength, ferocity and speed. From the makara in Hinduism and Buddhism and Sobek of the ancient Egyptians to the sacred beasts in the cultures of various indigenous American, sub-Saharan African and Australian Aboriginal and Papuan cultures, the crocodile has had huge impact on human culture, beliefs and faith systems.

One of the cultures that venerates the crocodile is part of the string of islands that ...