Minneriya National Park mugger crocodile nesting: sandy reservoir banks and maternal defense?

Mugger Crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris) inhabit the ancient reservoir tanks of Minneriya and Kaudulla, sharing aquatic space with the annual elephant gathering. During the dry season (June to August), female muggers dig deep egg-laying nests 40 to 60cm into sandy reservoir mud banks above the waterline. Females deposit 20 to 40 hard-shelled eggs, covering them with damp sand and decaying vegetation. The mother guards the nesting site aggressively for 75 days until hatching. When hatchlings emit high-pitched yipping vocalizations, the mother excavates the sand and carries hatchlings to water inside her mouth pouch.