Crocodile Breeding Center releases 150 gharials into Rapti River

CHITWAN, March 24: The Kasara-based Gharial (Crocodile) Breeding Center in Chitwan has released 150 grown-up crocodiles of Gharial species into its natural habitat. The animals raised in the Center were released into the Ratpi River.

The Center, part of the Chitwan National Park, freed the animals completing five years of age into the river. 

The Center prepares for releasing additional 20 crocodiles into the river this year. As said by CNP information officer Ganesh Tiwari, the animal is released into the river after it completes five years of age and grows to a length of 1.5 meters.

This year,  70  animals reared in the Center were released into the Rapti river from Kasara Ghat followed by  60 from Sauraha Ghat and 20 from near Khagendra Malli at different times and 20 crocodiles have already met the criteria for living in the natural habitat. 

The Center has so far released over 1,842 crocodiles into various rivers since its establishment in 1978 and this figure was 107 last fiscal year. Animals reared at the Centre are released into Rapti, Narayani, Kali Gandaki, Saptakoshi, Karnali, and Babai rivers and the Rapti is the first river receiving the highest number of crocodiles released by the Center.