Etawah celebrates 50 yrs of gharial conservation on World Crocodile Day

Kanpur: On the occasion of World Crocodile Day, Etawah district celebrated the golden jubilee of gharial conservation on Tuesday, marking 50 years since the launch of the initiative in Uttar Pradesh. The event, organised jointly by the Forest Department and the Society for Conservation of Nature (SCON), brought together forest officials, wildlife experts, educators, and conservation enthusiasts.Dr Rajeev Chauhan, General Secretary of SCON, highlighted that the gharial conservation programme was first launched in 1975. Under this initiative, eggs collected from the Chambal River in Etawah were incubated and the hatchlings were raised for three to five years at the Kukrail Gharial Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow before being released back into the Chambal. These efforts have led to a significant increase in the gharial population, which now stands between 2,000 and 2,500.Basrehar forest officer Amit Solanki credited the success of the programme to the collaborative efforts of forest officials, local communities, and public representatives. Forest officers Ashok Kumar Sharma (Badhpura) and Vinod Kumar (Qila Range) also shared insights into conservation and breeding efforts. Nirmal Chand Bajpai, Principal of Ashram Paddati Vidyalaya, recalled that before 1975, the Chambal River saw rampant fishing and little awareness about gharials, with their population dwindling to just 200 at the time.Dr Atri Gupta, lecturer in zoology at Janta PG College, Bakewar, emphasised the gharial's evolutionary significance, noting that it is among the world's oldest surviving reptiles. Of the three crocodilian species found in India—mugger, saltwater crocodile, and gharial—two, the mugger and the gharial, are found in Etawah. All are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. She also recalled that a natural disaster in late 2007 resulted in the death of 112 rare gharials.Dr Ramjanm Singh, a member of the State Resource Group, underlined the importance of the Chambal River, known for its pristine water—ideal for gharial survival and breeding.Sanjeev Chauhan, District Programme Officer of Namami Gange, noted that World Crocodile Day, observed globally on June 17, aims to raise awareness about crocodile conservation and reduce human-wildlife conflict.