Haldwani, July 29 -- The Uttarakhand forest department has rescued and released eight crocodiles into their natural habitat in Kumaon so far this month amid a rise in human-crocodile encounters during the monsoon, forest officials said. According to Tarai East forest division divisional forest officer (DFO) Himanshu Bagri, rising water levels in rivers, drains and other natural water bodies during the monsoon often force aquatic animals, including crocodiles, to move towards human settlements in search of safer ground, increasing the likelihood of human-wildlife conflict. On Monday, Jagdish Chand, village head representative of Bichpuri village in the Chakarpur area of Khatima, alerted the forest department after a crocodile entered a house in the village, Bagri said. "Acting on information received from locals, a forest team immediately rushed to the spot and found the reptile roaming in the courtyard," the DFO said. The house owner, Heera Chand, told officials he had returned home from the market around noon when he spotted the reptile inside the house. The forest team safely rescued the crocodile and later released it into its natural habitat, Bagri said, adding that no injuries or casualties were reported. "We have appealed to residents to remain alert during the rainy season and immediately inform the forest department if they spot crocodiles, snakes or any other wild animals. People have also been advised not to attempt to capture or handle wildlife on their own," Bagri said. "So far, eight crocodiles have been rescued from Sitarganj, Nanakmatta and Khatima in July and released into Nanak Sagar Dam. A dedicated Rapid Response Team has also been constituted to respond to incidents of human-crocodile conflict in the region," he added. Uttarakhand is home to two of India's three crocodilian species - the mugger crocodile and the gharial, found in the Corbett landscape. Crocodiles are also found across the Terai region, parts of the Haridwar forest division and Rajaji National Park. Human-crocodile encounters have previously proved fatal in the state. In August 2022, Khatima forest officials booked several villagers for allegedly killing a crocodile. In September 2020, an eight-year-old girl was killed in a crocodile attack in the Haridwar forest division....