Rajasthan Minister releases baby Gharials into Chambal River, returning them to their natural habitat

Rajasthan Forest and Wildlife Minister Sanjay Sharma on Thursday released baby gharials into their natural habitat in the Chambal River at the Palighat Gharial Sanctuary in the Ranthambore region of Sawai Madhopur district.

The Minister was accompanied by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Shikha Mehra and Additional PCCF Rajesh Gupta. Together, they released 10 Gharial hatchlings that had been collected from the Chambal riverside shortly after they were hatched by a female Gharial in July this year.

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Around 30 hatchlings were collected in total and reared in captivity at the Palighat Gharial Conservation and Rearing Centre. “The newborn gharials measured about 7 cm when brought to the centre and had grown to around 25 cm by the time of their release,” Minister Sharma said.

At the rearing centre, the hatchlings were kept in scientifically managed enclosures designed to closely simulate their natural environment. They were also fed live fish to help them develop hunting skills before being released into the river.

The Minister said that the remaining hatchlings will be released in batches of five over the next few days.

Officials explained that Gharial hatchlings are highly vulnerable in their early life stages due to their long, slender snouts and exposure to predators and environmental threats, resulting in a low survival rate in the wild.

The captive rearing programme aims to enhance their chances of survival and strengthen the Gharial population in the Chambal River ecosystem.

Minister Sharma praised the efforts of the forest and wildlife authorities at the Palighat Sanctuary.

He said, “This is an important step toward Gharial conservation. The initiative will soon be replicated at Dholpur and other suitable sites along the Chambal River.”