160 baby crocodiles released in Gandak river.

Patna, June 17, 2024:   The Bihar Forest Department, in association with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), has released 160 baby fish-eating crocodiles into the Gandak River over the last three days.

For the past three months, forest officials have been preserving gharial eggs at six sites along the riverbank before hatching and releasing them into the river. The department is receiving technical support from the Los Angeles Zoo, California, for the species recovery programme. Under its supervision, WIT and the Forest & Environment Department are jointly implementing the conservation protocol, with trained villagers also involved.

600 Baby crocodiles have been released in the Gandak River:

A senior forest official said that more than 600 baby gharials have been released in the Gandak over the last ten years under the Gandak Crocodile Recovery Project.

Egg protection and incubation start each year in March, when nesting females lay eggs on high sand dunes along the river.

Hatching typically takes place after 60-90 days Officials said five gharial nests were found this year near the Dhanaha-Ratwal bridge in Bagaha subdivision of West Champaran, adjacent to the Valmiki Tiger Reserve.

Of these, 127 hatchlings emerged from four nests. Another nest was recorded for the first time at Sadhu Ghat in Sohagi Barwa (Uttar Pradesh), yielding 33 hatchlings. One nest is still under observation.

Last year, 125 baby gharial were released:

Last year, 125 baby gharials were released. Officials say the Gandak now has the highest gharial numbers after the Narmada—Chambal river system.

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EOM.