Natural History

Historically, gharials were hunted for their skins and for use in medicines. Now destruction of their habitat and illegal fishing have become the greatest threats to gharials. Though much of the remaining gharial habitat is within protected sanctuaries, without adequate enforcement illegal fishing and resource extraction continue. As gharials are killed in fishing nets, suitable habitats are destroyed, and their prey base dwindles, their populations are declining rapidly and becoming increasingly fragmented.

Despite a large-scale restocking program for thirty years, resulting in over 5,000 young gharials being released into India’s river systems, only around 200 breeding adults still survive. The exact reasons for this low survival rate are unknown, but it is most likely due to the continuing threats to gharials. No matter how many gharials are released in the wild, if their habitat continues to be destroyed, and they continue to be killed, this species will not be able to survive.

One crucial factor in the failure of past conservation efforts was the lack of involvement of local people. When protected areas were declared, local people lost access to natural resources they had enjoyed for generations, causing resentment and antipathy towards the animals and conservation efforts. Future success will depend on working with local communities to find mutually beneficial strategies, such as alternative livelihoods for fishermen, to conserve the riverine habitat upon which both the gharials and humans depend.

Habitat

Gharials are native to deep, fast-flowing rivers, but prefer calmer areas of these rivers such as river bends. Gharials are adapted for life in perennial rivers, and are perhaps the most aquatic of all crocodilians. Though they spend most of their time in water, sandy banks are essential for building nests and for basking. Gharials prefer steep sandy banks to build their nests in.

The Chambal River Photo : Laurel Converse

As sandy banks are vital for gharial nesting and basking the destruction of these banks and bars by sand-mining, erosion, and changing river levels poses a serious threat to the species. However gharials have used artificially created sand-banks in captivity for successful nesting and basking for many years. So some habitat managers have tried creating sand bars and banks in the wild in areas where natural banks and bars have been eroded or destroyed. These efforts have been successful, with gharials using these areas to bask and nest, indicating new possibilities for reclaiming degraded habitat areas.