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THE PIONEER (New Delhi, India) 15 June 05 Morena centre greets 181 newborn gharials
Bhopal: The Gharial Rehabilitation Centre in Morena is happy with 181 newborn gharials.
The officials of the rehabilitation centre was awaiting the arrival of gharials since they collected about 200 eggs from the banks of Chambal River and began hatching.
SD Sharma, research assistant at the centre, said that the gharials had laid eggs on the banks of the Chambal river in March.
The officials had collected about 200 egg from the banks of the river and had put them in sand pits at the rehabilitation centre.
Mr Sharma said that the staff had also collected eight crocodile eggs from the banks of the Chambal. These eggs are also expected to be hatched soon.
The newborn gharials have been kept in a pond. Incidentally, gharials usually lay eggs in March and the normal incubation period for eggs is two-months.
According to the officials of the centre, when the gharials attain a critical size, they would either be transferred to other research centres in the country on demand or would be released in the Chambal River.
Morena centre greets 181 newborn gharials

What a great success! The situation of wild Gharials at the Chambal region became critical, so this could be another inportant step in conservation. Congrats to Morena centre!
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