Assam: Critically endangered 'Gharial' spotted in River Brahmaputra

Sharing good news for wildlife enthusiasts, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to his Twitter handle and shared video footage of a 'Gharial' (Gavialis gangeticus) that was thought to be extinct in the waters of Assam, especially River Brahmaputra.

Great news for all wildlifers: Gharial ( Gavialis gangeticus) was thought to be extinct in the waters of Assam, especially River Brahmaputra. This new sighting becomes important in view of another sighting in March this year in Kaziranga at Silghat pic.twitter.com/Dq7naK4z2g

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) October 31, 2022

Notably, this new sighting becomes important in view of another sighting in March this year in Kaziranga at Silghat.

Earlier on the eve of World Wildlife Day, the sighting of the critically endangered gharial was first spotted in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR).

Though there have been reports of sightings of the animal in the past, this was the first time it was caught on camera in the national park.

It is to be mentioned here that the wild gharial population has declined drastically since the 1930s and is limited to only 2% of its historical range today.

Conservation programmes initiated in India and Nepal focused on reintroducing captive-bred gharials since the early 1980s.