Mumbai: In a remarkable wildlife rescue in Mumbai, five monitor lizard hatchlings were born in a plastic container that served as an artificial incubator, nearly four months after municipal workers discovered their eggs in a drain in Mulund.
The discovery was made on January 26 during routine drain cleaning by civic workers. Unsure of the species, they alerted the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW), an NGO focused on animal protection, according to a Times Of India report.
“We guessed, though, that the eggs were of some reptile species,” said Pawan Sharma, president of Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW), who immediately contacted forest authorities, as per the report. The forest department entrusted the NGO with the responsibility of incubating the eggs artificially.
The ten eggs were placed in a plastic container filled with a mix of soil and powdered coconut husk. Chinmay Joshi, a zoologist involved in the care, explained that the substrate helped maintain hygiene due to its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. To assess viability, the team used a method called 'candling'. “A flashlight of high-intensity luminosity was used to check this. If the eggs are fertile, they glow,” Joshi noted. Only five of the ten eggs were found to be fertile.
Maintaining precise conditions, Joshi monitored the container every two to three days, ensuring a stable temperature of 27–29°C and humidity between 70 per cent and 85 per cent. As reported, the eggs were kept under close observation until they hatched, 114 days later. The final hatchling emerged on May 21.
The location where the eggs were originally discovered lies on the eastern edge of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivli a suitable environment for such reptiles. The mother lizard, going by instinct, leaves the eggs at a place which she perceives is most conducive for the eggs to hatch. All five hatchlings were released safely back into the wild.
