Gharial Habitat and its Conservation Efforts

Context: Recently, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister released 10 gharials into the Chambal River at the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary in Morena.

About Gharials

Distinctive Features

• Long, narrow snout with interlocking sharp teeth (adapted for catching fish).
• The bulbous snout tip (ghara) in males is used for sound production and courtship displays.
• Webbed feet and weak legs make them excellent swimmers but poor walkers.
• Communal nesting: Many females lay eggs in the same area.
• Parental Care: Unlike crocodiles, gharials don’t carry hatchlings in their mouths but guard them after hatching.

Size and Physical Characteristics

• Males: Grow up to 6 meters (20 feet), weigh 160–250 kg.
• Females: Smaller, growing 6–4.5 meters.
• Teeth: 110+ teeth, designed to grip slippery fish.

• Distribution: Found in India, Nepal and parts of Bangladesh.
• Preferred Habitat: Freshwater rivers with deep pools, sandy banks and slow-moving currents.
• Ecological Role: Primarily fish-eating but also clean up carrion, keeping rivers healthy.
• Cultural Significance: It is depicted as the divine mount of Goddess Ganga in Indian mythology.

Conservation Status

• IUCN: Critically Endangered
• WPA: Schedule-I

Why Is Gharial Conservation Needed?

Past Population Decline

• 1950s-60s: More than an 80% decline in India’s gharial population.

Major Threats

• Historical Threats: Overhunting for skins, trophies, eggs, and traditional medicine.
• Modern Challenges:
  • Habitat destruction (dam construction, irrigation canals, embankments).
  • Siltation and sand-mining disrupt nesting sites.
  • Pollution and river course changes.

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