Crocodile Park

Located 42-km from Chennai. The Crocodile Park is about 35 km south of Chennai (Madras) city on the scenic East Coast Highway, en route to Mamallapuram. Established in 1976 by famous herpetologist Roulve Whittekar it is one of its kind in the country in the aspect of conservation and breeding of large varieties of crocodiles, giving special care to endangered ones. It occupies an area of 3.2 hectares and serves as a bank taking care of about 5,000 species kept there. Some of the exotic varieties of species of crocodiles found in the Crocodile Park in Chennai are- Morlet's crocodile from Mexico, American Alligator, Dwarf crocodile from Africa and the Siamese crocodile.

The Crocodile Bank in Chennai are the largest crocodile-breeding site in the country. Several species of African and Indian crocodiles and alligators are bred in captivity. This park tries to spread awareness of the useful ecological role played by crocodiles in selectively feeding on sick and weak and injured fish. . Here Projects and researches are conducted on the biology and study of crocodiles, turtles and lizards.

Kept in their natural surrounding they can be watched from a safe distance.

The park also has a section where the venom of snakes is extracted. It was established with the aim to preserve the Irula (Snake catching), tribe's way of life, as it uses their skill to extract venom from poisonous snakes. The snake park adjoining to it has large variety of such snakes and the venom extraction process demonstrated is very interesting. The venom is used as a cure for snakebites and to prepare medicines.