Morena: The state forest department is all set to release a new set of Ghariyals in the Chambal River as part of their ongoing ‘rear and release’ programme.
A total of 90 ghariyals (Gavialis gangeticus), born in 2008 at National Chambal Ghariyal Sanctuary Morena, will be released. According to the last census, there are 928 ghariyals in Chambal passing through three states.
These aquatic species have been declared as a critically endangered by the International Union For Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The issue came to the prominence when more than 65 gharials were found dead within a 35km stretch of the Chambal in December 2007.
According to aquatic life expert Dr Rishikesh Sharma, who was actively involved with the management of the sanctuary from its inception, gharials would not have survived if measures of protection were not tightened.
“The population is on rise now. We have got permission from our headquarters to release the new set of ghariyals this week.” he told DNA.
Dr Sharma pointed out that female ‘gharials’ lay around 30-50 eggs during breeding season and around 2,000-2,500 eggs are found in sand ‘nests’ near the banks of Chambal river every year.
Out of these, the 200-250 eggs are brought to the sanctuary and develop them. The National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary was set up near Morena’s Devari village in 1978, 300 young gharial were released into the Chambal till 2006.
In 2007, the officials had released 25 young ‘gharials being reared at Dang Basai Ghat in the Chambal River which was found to be most suitable for natural habitat of these ‘gharials’. Officials claim sand-mining, poses one of the most significant threats to gharials.
“Sand mining and illegal poaching in a sanctuary near Chambal river in Morena has been posing threat to conservation efforts of the endangered aquatic species” said an official. A proposal to exclude villages in the Chambal sanctuary area was also sent and to confine the sanctuary area to the river.
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MP-BHO-forest-dept-to-release-90-ghariyals-in-chambal-2677524.html
A total of 90 ghariyals (Gavialis gangeticus), born in 2008 at National Chambal Ghariyal Sanctuary Morena, will be released. According to the last census, there are 928 ghariyals in Chambal passing through three states.
These aquatic species have been declared as a critically endangered by the International Union For Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The issue came to the prominence when more than 65 gharials were found dead within a 35km stretch of the Chambal in December 2007.
According to aquatic life expert Dr Rishikesh Sharma, who was actively involved with the management of the sanctuary from its inception, gharials would not have survived if measures of protection were not tightened.
“The population is on rise now. We have got permission from our headquarters to release the new set of ghariyals this week.” he told DNA.
Dr Sharma pointed out that female ‘gharials’ lay around 30-50 eggs during breeding season and around 2,000-2,500 eggs are found in sand ‘nests’ near the banks of Chambal river every year.
Out of these, the 200-250 eggs are brought to the sanctuary and develop them. The National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary was set up near Morena’s Devari village in 1978, 300 young gharial were released into the Chambal till 2006.
In 2007, the officials had released 25 young ‘gharials being reared at Dang Basai Ghat in the Chambal River which was found to be most suitable for natural habitat of these ‘gharials’. Officials claim sand-mining, poses one of the most significant threats to gharials.
“Sand mining and illegal poaching in a sanctuary near Chambal river in Morena has been posing threat to conservation efforts of the endangered aquatic species” said an official. A proposal to exclude villages in the Chambal sanctuary area was also sent and to confine the sanctuary area to the river.
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MP-BHO-forest-dept-to-release-90-ghariyals-in-chambal-2677524.html
No comments:
Post a Comment