Recently  Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav released 10 gharials into the Chambal River at the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary in Morena.

• Madhya Pradesh holds over 80% of India’s gharial population, earning it the title of a “gharial state.”

About Gharials

• Scientific Name: Gavialis gangeticus
• Appearance: Gharials exhibit sexual dimorphism. 
  • They have long, slender snouts with interlocking sharp teeth.
  • Males have a bulbous snout tip resembling an inverted pot giving the name Gharial.
• Diet: Primarily fish-eating, helping maintain aquatic ecosystem balance.
• Sacred Significance: In Indian mythology, often depicted as the divine mount of Goddess Ganga.
• Distribution: Historically, the Gharial range spanned to the Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra and Mahanadi-Brahmani-Baitrani River systems of India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.
• Presently, their major population occurs in three tributaries of the Ganga River: the Chambal and the Girwa Rivers in India and the Rapti-Naryani River in Nepal.
• Breeding Season: November to January; nesting occurs March to May on sandbanks and islands.
• Ecosystem Role: Help maintain clean rivers by consuming carrion.

Threats to Gharial Population

• Historical Threats: Overhunting for skins, trophies, eggs, and traditional medicine.
• Modern Threats
• • Habitat destruction: Dams, irrigation canals, river course changes, and sand mining.
  • Pollution: Industrial and agricultural waste harming river ecosystems.
  • Fishing Activities: Gill nets cause accidental deaths, even in protected areas.

Conservation status of Gharials

• The National Chambal Sanctuary (NCS) recorded 2,456 gharials in 2024, showing successful conservation efforts.
• Gharial populations declined by 80% between the 1950s-60s but later saw a steady recovery until 1997.
• Between 1997 and 2006, the population dropped by 58%, from 436 to 182 adults.
• Gharials are extinct in Myanmar and Bhutan, with small uncertain populations in Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

Conservation Efforts in India

• Captive Breeding (1975-1982): 16 breeding centers established to rear and release hatchlings.
• Reintroduction in Punjab (2017-2020): Gharials were reintroduced in the Sutlej and Beas rivers.
• Key Sanctuaries: National Chambal (MP), Katerniaghat (UP), Son River (MP), and Satkosia Gorge (Odisha).
• Threat Management: Illegal sand mining banned, pollution monitored, and strict fishing regulations enforced.
• Community Involvement: Local communities engaged in habitat protection and awareness programs to reduce conflicts.

About National Chambal Sanctuary (NCS)

• Located on the Chambal River near the tripoint of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
• It was first declared in Madhya Pradesh in 1978, and now constitutes a long narrow eco-reserve co-administered by the M.P , U.P and Rajasthan.
• Protects a 435-km stretch of the Chambal River, one of India’s cleanest rivers.
• Home to 290+ bird species, including Indian Skimmers (80% of India’s population).
• Acts as a breeding ground for gharials, helping revive populations in other states.

Conservation Crocodile species found in India