250 Gharial Crocodiles Raised in Chitwan National Park Released into Rapti River

Chitwan. A total of 250 gharial crocodiles raised in Chitwan National Park have been released into the Rapti River. These crocodiles were released into various locations of the Rapti River during the current fiscal year.

In the last fiscal year, 133 crocodiles raised at the breeding center were released into the river. To date, 2,280 crocodiles raised at the center have been released into various rivers. According to the office's Information Officer Avinash Thapa Magar, 419 crocodiles were released into the Narayani River, 1,525 into the Rapti River, 35 into the Kaligandaki River, 105 into the Saptakoshi River, and 41 into the Karnali River.

Similarly, he informed that 110 crocodiles were released into the Babai River, 25 into the Chauhar River, and 10 into the West Rapti River in Banke. Currently, there are 598 crocodiles at the National Park's breeding center. Crocodiles around five years of age are released into the river. Since the establishment of the center in 1978, the practice of raising hatchlings and releasing them into the river began in 1981. The Rapti River has received the highest number of releases so far. Among the rivers in Nepal where gharials are found in abundance, the Rapti is prominent. Eggs are collected from the riverbanks where crocodiles are released, hatched at the breeding center to produce hatchlings.

These hatchlings are then raised and released into the river. It is found that only a small number of the released hatchlings survive in the river, while many are washed away to India. Some fall into nets or become victims of predators. River pollution also puts the crocodiles at high risk.