Reintroduction of Gharials (<i>Gavialis gangeticus</i>) in the Lower Ganga River, Murshidabad, West Bengal, India

The Critically Endangered Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), native to the Indian Subcontinent, is the sole survivingspecies of a once-diverse genus. Its population has declined by over 80% in the past two centuries due to habitatloss from water impoundment, sand mining, hunting, and intensive fishing. Only about 650 adult gharials remainin the wild, primarily in isolated stretches of the Ganga, Mahanadi, and Brahmaputra River Systems. A small, poorlydocumented population also exists in West Bengal. Focusing on conservation efforts to protect Gharials and theirriverine ecosystem in the lower Ganga basin is urgent, especially in West Bengal. Therefore, a species-reintroductionprogram has been initiated by the West Bengal Forest Directorate to release captive-bred Gharials into suitable habitats.The goal of this program is to enhance the likelihood of long-term survival of the Gharials in the lower Ganga Basin.As part of this project, 37 young Gharials were released in February 2024 into the Ganga River in the MurshidabadDistrict of West Bengal, India. The release was performed following established habitat assessment protocols, andrecommendations for reintroducing the species. The progress of the released Gharials is being monitored, and localriparian communities are involved to ensure the long-term conservation of the Gharials. The released Gharials are acclimatingto their new environment and are gradually spreading throughout the natural riverine habitat. Unfortunately,three Gharials became entangled in ghost nets and were lost within the first 15 days. Since then, the ghost nets havebeen removed from the river, and no further instances of Gharial mortality have been recorded.