HINDUSTAN TIMES (New Delhi, India) 20 December 09 Environmentalists, scientists concerned over vanishing alligators (V K Tripathi)

The Ghariyal or alligator, the vanishing reptile of the Indian waters, is now under the scanner of scientists and environmentalists.

A team of scientists from across the globe, representing different organisations, will set out on a navigational survey of the Gandak river from Triveni on the Indo-Nepal border on December 25 to study and map habitat of ghariyals along the 200- kilometre stretch to the river's confluence with the Ganga near Hajipur. Ghariyals have been declared critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in 2008.

The IUCN, the lead agency-the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) of India and other organisations such as Wildlife Trust of India, Multi Ghariyal Task Force, Department of Forests and Environment, Bihar and Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University (TMBU) are part of the joint research project.

During the three-week journey, the scientists would also study the status of dolphin, turtle and otter during the three-week trip being undertaken on country boats equipped with high-power cameras and other instruments needed to assess water chemistry.

Chief Wildlife Warden, BA Khan, told Hindustan Times that the recommendations of the study would help shifting the freshly bred ghariyals in captivity in Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park to natural habitats. Director of Valmiki Tiger Reserve Project, JP Gupta added that the findings would help maintain the biodiversity in the river eco-systems of Bihar.

The project team leader, Dr Sunil Chaudhary of TMBU, said depleting numbers of ghariyals inhabiting the Gandak and Chambal rivers was an issue of concern to the WWF and other organizations. It would be the first holistic approach to study their status in Bihar, he said.

He said unchecked sand and pebble mining in the Narayani - the other name of the Gandak- had pushed this majestic species onto the verge of extinction. Ghariyal’s prefer uneven riverbeds with wide space for basking which Gandak and Chambal provide to them. Only in odd situation like floods, they moved to the Ganga.

Fishermen also used to kill the alligators for their skin used by leather manufacturing factories in Uttar Pradesh.

The study team would include Dr Asgar Nawab of WWF, Dr Samir of Wildlife Trust of India, B Basu of Multi-Ghariyal Task Force and representatives of IUCN that include expert on aquatic life, Rom Whittaker.
Environmentalists, scientists concerned over vanishing alligators

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