were released in the Manas River in the late 1990s. It is considered locally extinct in Myanmar. Behaviour and ecology The mugger crocodile is a powerful swimmer that uses its tail and hind feet to move forward, change direction and submerge. It belly-walks, with its belly touching ground, at the bottom of waterbodies and on land. During the hot dry season, it walks over land at night to find suitable wetlands and spends most of the day submerged in water. During the cold season it basks on riverbanks, individuals are tolerant of others during this period. Territorial behaviour increases during the mating season. Like all crocodilians, the mugger crocodile is a thermoconformer and has an optimal body temperature of and risks dying of freezing or hyperthermia when exposed to temperatures below or above , respectively. It digs burrows to retreat from extreme temperatures and other harsh climatic conditions. Burrows are between deep, with entrances above the water level and a chamber at the end that is big enough to allow the mugger to turn around. Temperatures inside remains constant at , depending on region. Hunting and diet The mugger crocodile preys on fish, snakes, turtles, birds and mammals including monkeys, squirrels, rodents, otters and dogs. It also scavenges on dead animals. During dry seasons, muggers walk many kilometers over land in search of water and prey. Hatchlings feed mainly on insects such as beetles, but also on crabs and shrimp and on vertebrates later on. It seizes and drags potential prey approaching watersides into the water, when the opportunity arises. Adult muggers were observed feeding on a flapshell turtle and a tortoise. Subadult and adult muggers favour fish, but also prey on small to medium-sized ungulates up to the size of chital (Axis axis). In Bardia National Park, a mugger was observed caching a chital kill beneath the roots of a tree and returning to its basking site. A part of the deer was still wedged among the roots on the next day. Muggers have also been observed while preying and feeding on a python. At the Chambal River, muggers have attacked water buffaloes, cattle and goats. In Yala National Park, a mugger was observed killing a large Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), of which it devoured pieces over several hours. Tool use Mugger crocodiles have been documented using lures to hunt birds. This means they are among the first reptiles