The Hindu: Page 06
Syllabus: GS 2: Environment, Conservation
In Kaziranga National Park, a lone female gharial has been discovered in the Brahmaputra River, potentially crucial for reintroducing the species.
- Wildlife experts aim to reintroduce gharials, previously believed extinct in the Brahmaputra since the 1950s, through a proposed breeding program pending approval.
- Species Name: Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
- Physical Characteristics: Long, narrow snout adapted for catching fish; males can grow up to 6 metres in length, while females are smaller.
- Habitat: Found in major river systems of the northern Indian subcontinent, such as the Narmada, Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus rivers.
- Diet: Primarily piscivorous, feeding on fish; specialised jaw structure aids in catching and consuming prey.
- Conservation Status: Critically endangered on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss, pollution, and human interference.
- Conservation Efforts: Includes captive breeding programs at centres like the Kukrail Gharial Rehabilitation Centre near Lucknow.
- Reintroduction Efforts: Proposed reintroduction in suitable habitats like Kaziranga National Park to bolster wild populations.
- Legal Protection: Protected under Indian law to prevent hunting and trade, aimed at ensuring their survival and recovery in the wild.
Kaziranga National Park
- Kaziranga National Park is located in the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, with the Brahmaputra River flowing through it.
- It is home to two-thirds of the world’s one-horned rhinoceroses and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International for its avian diversity.
- The park’s vegetation includes alluvial grasslands, savanna woodlands, tropical moist deciduous forests, and semi-evergreen forests.
- Major flora species are spear grass, elephant grass, common reed, cotton tree, and elephant apple.
- The ‘Big Five’ species in Kaziranga include the One-Horned Rhinoceros (VU), Royal Bengal Tiger, Asian Elephant, Wild Water Buffalo (EN), and Swamp Deer.
- Other significant fauna are the fishing cat, small Indian civet, sloth bear, Chinese pangolin, and Indian pangolin.
