Recently, 31 Gharials (Gavialis gangeticus) hatchlings have been released in the Bagaha area along the Gandak River in Bihar.
About Gharials:
It is a freshwater crocodile belonging to the Crocodylia Order and Crocodylidae Family.
The name ‘gharial’ comes from the Hindi word ghara, meaning pot or vessel, referring to the bulbous snout tip of adult males, which resembles an inverted pot.
Habitat Preference: Gharials inhabit deep, clear, freshwater rivers with sandy banks, primarily within Himalayan river systems.
Distribution: It is mainly found in the rivers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Their major population occurs in three tributaries of the Ganga River: the Chambal (Hosts the largest wild population) and Girwa Rivers in India and the Rapti-Naryani River in Nepal.
The Gharial reserves of India are located in three States: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
Diet:Predominantly piscivorous, gharials play a key role in regulating fish diversity and maintaining riverine ecological balance.
Features:
It is one of the largest crocodilian.
They have thick skin covered with smooth epidermal scales that do not overlap.
The snout of the gharial is uniquely the thinnest and most elongated among all the crocodilians.
In addition, the adult males sport a large bulb at the tip of their snout, called the ‘ghara’.
It is also the most aquatic of all crocodilians, for it never moves far from the water. Individuals typically only leave the water to bask and nest on sandbanks.
Reproduction: They mate during November–January and lay eggs March–May.
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