Wildlife

Gharial Welfare in Indian River Systems

The gharial, a critically endangered crocodilian of South Asian rivers, faces welfare threats from habitat degradation, entanglement in fishing nets and low river flows.

Key Facts

Fewer than 1,000 mature gharials remain in the wild
The Chambal River in India holds the core surviving population
Gharials are highly specialised fish-eaters unable to cope with habitat change
Nest sites require specific sandy riverbanks eroded by sand mining and dams

Welfare Considerations

Gharials entangled in fishing nets drown in distress. Females whose nest sites are destroyed by floods or human activity lose entire clutches, representing loss of reproductive investment. Hatchlings released from captive breeding face rivers with degraded fish stocks and altered hydrology. Sand mining physically destroys nesting habitat and disturbs incubating females.

What You Can Do

Support Chambal Sanctuary conservation projects
Advocate for regulated sand extraction and maintained minimum river flows
Donate to Wildlife Institute of India gharial recovery programme
Raise awareness of gharial ecological role in river systems