The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology (or Croc Bank) is the brain child of Rom and Zai Whitaker and a handful of like-minded conservationists and visionaries. What started as an effort to save India’s dwindling crocodilian populations in 1976, is today a center for cutting edge scientific research and grassroots education. The Croc Bank remains a world leader in the field of frontline conservation and the preservation of natural landscapes.

The Croc Bank currently consists of a large reptile park near Chennai, Southern India, and several field projects located throughout the subcontinent. The zoo sees close to half a million visitors per year making it one of the most popular tourist attractions along the famous East Coast Road.