Record gharial hatchlings offer fresh hope for Bardiya’s rivers

Bardiya National Park in Nepal is celebrating a record number of gharial hatchlings, with 96 critically endangered reptiles currently under care at its specialized breeding center. This figure, the highest in nearly a decade, offers a significant glimmer of hope for the survival of the species.

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The gharial is just as rare globally as the Bengal tiger.

The young gharials, now six weeks old, are thriving in the park's breeding ponds. This year's success saw three female gharials lay 116 eggs, from which 96 hatchlings emerged. This surpasses last year's 93 hatchlings and previous years' figures, demonstrating a positive trend in conservation efforts.

Conservationists emphasize the gharial's global rarity, comparing its status to that of the Bengal tiger. These specialized river reptiles, with their long, needle-like snouts, are harmless to humans but highly vulnerable to environmental changes. Threats such as river pollution, industrial encroachment, destruction of natural sandbanks, and entanglement in fishing nets pose significant dangers to wild populations.

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Because of their long, delicate snouts, gharials frequently get entangled and drown in fishing nets. Hunters and fishermen also step on or intentionally destroy their nesting eggs, while poaching remains an ongoing hazard.

Park wardens will care for the hatchlings for approximately five years until they are robust enough for release into regional river systems like the Karnali and Babai. Captive rearing dramatically increases their survival rate to about 60 percent, compared to a mere one to two percent for those born in the wild. This intensive care is crucial for a species facing numerous pressures, including poaching and human interference, which disrupt their natural habitats and nesting sites.

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If we properly manage their natural food supply, secure their aquatic habitats and regulate human activity in the rivers, expanding their population becomes much more manageable.