Guwahati: Spotting a gharial in Kaziranga is a rarity but when you spot and have photographic evidence, you are on cloud nine.
Indian Gharial is one of the largest river-dwelling crocodile species in the world that can grow up to 8 meters in total length and weighs around 160 kg. Due to the massive decline in its population in the last century, the Indian Gharial is categorised as critically endangered under the IUCN Red Data list and Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
“Mesmerising, of course, and a very elusive one too. It takes a lot of effort to sight one as they remain camouflaged with the surroundings, I am happy to spot it and have photographic evidence too, which was not possible in 2022,” Sushmita Kar of Turtle Survival Alliance Foundation India who participated in the survey told EastMojo on her experience.
“We sighted back in 2022 as well. This year, we saw her over three days, the same adult female. It indicates the Brahmaputra has the potential to support Gharials. It may have thrived once, but also may be reintroduced back with rigorous scientific monitoring,” she said.
The survey conducted by a five-member team led by Sushmita Kar and Monalisha Basistha recorded over 900 freshwater turtles, representing 5 species and one female Gharial. Opportunistic sightings of other aquatic wildlife like Gangetic River Dolphins and otters were also recorded to compare notes with the recent dedicated surveys on the same. The top ten habitats were characterized as a result of this survey.
This year, a total of 160 km long Brahmaputra river survey was conducted from 16-25 January 2024 by Biswanath Wildlife Division (under Kaziranga Tiger Reserve) and TSA Foundation India. The survey stretched from Majuli to Koliabhomora bridge, Tezpur was conducted in two transects (upstream and downstream) considering the huge width of the river covering a total of 320 km shoreline.
The team conducted habitat suitability assessments for aquatic reptiles using parameters such as river depth, channel width, water flow, vegetation cover and extent, and quality of basking and nesting (soil).
“It’s exceptionally rare to sight a gharial,” says wildlife expert Anwaruddin Choudhury.
In many riverine systems, it was known to be on the verge of extinction with very few breeding adults left. Adult gharials exhibit a strong association with river systems, often displaying seasonal migratory patterns. One distinctive feature of male gharials is the presence of a bulb-like structure at the tip of their snouts, which looks like an ‘earthen pot’ or ‘Ghara’ in Hindi, which lends the species its name, Gharial.
They are specialized fish feeders, and unable to feed on other things due to the shape of their snout. Moreover, they are less agile on the land and prefer to remain soaked in water at most times.
As per survey reports, India’s largest gharial population resides in the National Chambal Sanctuary, which hosts about 77% of the global adult population.
The remaining Gharial populations in India are found in various locations, including the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, the Gandak River on the Indo-Nepal border, Corbett National Park, the Son River, Mahanadi River, and Hastinapur Sanctuary. Historical records of Gharials from sixteen rivers in NE India in the 1950s reported only secondary habitat information and it was thought to be locally extinct.
“The recurrent sighting of gharials (especially female) in the last three years in the Bishwanath stretch of the Brahmaputra brings in cheer as it confirms the premise on restoring back species with due protection” Kaziranga National Park field director Sonali Ghosh says.
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