Gharials bless the Gandak river with gen next

Gharial – the fish-eating long-snouted crocodilian is bolstering its population in the Gandak River flowing through the plains of the northern state of Bihar. Started in 2014, the project funded by the Environment & Forests Department, Government of Bihar aims at recovery of Gharial in the Gandak River, known as Narayani in Nepal.  The project first recorded gharial nests in the river in 2016, thus making it fourth extant breeding population in India, the other three being in Rivers Chambal, Girwa and Ramganga.

Fast current, clean water and braided channel of the Gandak River makes it a suitable gharial habitat.

Contrary to believes gharials are not harmful to human being. The WTI has released and monitored 30 captive born and reared at Patna Zoo and released back into the river. Gandak to strengthen the its wild population. A recent survey by WTI has recorded more than 160 gharials in the Gandak River in 320 km stretch in Bihar.