Croc Doc: A Friend Indeed to Reptiles, Turtles, and Tortoises

Today Gowri has a Master’s degree in Veterinary Science and a Bachelor’s in Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry. She is considered one of India’s leading vets, and has worked with a variety of animals including tigers, lions, elephants, rhinos, and crocodiles.

Gowri has held prominent positions in reputed wildlife organizations in India. As an onsite veterinarian and Assistant Director of the Madras Crocodile Bank, her responsibility was to ensure that all the 2000+ reptiles living there had good health and clean enclosures. It was a job she did very well.

She has a soft corner for reptiles, turtles, and tortoises, and crocodiles are her favourite. At the Croc Bank, she would often be seen talking to her beloved giant crocs and turtles, all of whom seemed to love the attention she showered on them. It was quite a sight to see fully grown crocs recognize and respond affectionately to her voice.

After her stint at the Croc Bank, Gowri joined TSA (Turtle Survival Alliance—an international turtle organization) which was recently in the news for rescuing hundreds of endangered Malagasy, radiated, and Angonoka tortoises that were being smuggled to Nepal from Madagascar. These chelonians were seized at the Mumbai International Airport, but thanks to immediate action taken by the Indian government and people like Gowri, all those helpless tortoises were sent back to their real home in Madagascar. Scientists and researchers are struggling to keep these critters safe in the wild, but the booming pet trade and habitat destruction is something beyond their control.

Gowri has an impressive list of achievements. When she is not rescuing or medicating an injured chelonian or stray cat, she spends her time editing veterinary medicine articles for publication in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. She also helps at Uttara’s ARRC, a wildlife and rehabilitation centre in Pune. She recently assisted with the parasitological examination of stool samples of penguins, skuas, and gulls as part of a study of the ecology of the birds of the Antarctic region—a project by Garware College, Pune.

Gowri Mallapur is a strong, determined woman who is passionate about her work and the creatures she saves. India’s rivers and forests could use an army of people like her.