10 October,2025 07:09 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
The IUCN Green Status of the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) has rated it as "Critically Depleted". Pic/Phoebe Giffith - Himalayan Gharial Project
A new assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has shown that the gharial, a rare crocodile-like reptile, is still highly dependent on conservation efforts to survive in the wild.
The recent study highlights the protection of free-flowing rivers, which the gharial depends on for breeding, feeding, and living.
The IUCN Green Status of the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) has rated it as "Critically Depleted", meaning it is still far from recovery across its historical range in India and Nepal. However, the species is still around today because of conservation work done in the past.
The Chambal River in India is currently the only place where gharials are breeding successfully in large numbers, with thousands living in nearly 500 kilometres of protected river. In other places across the Ganges River system, gharials only exist in small, scattered groups.
The distinctive gharial is unlike any other animal found on Earth today: although related to crocodiles, they differ in appearance and behaviour. They show remarkable sociality, including communal care of hatchlings in huge creches of 100s and 1000s of young. However, such large creches can be found in few places today. Only the Chambal population in India continues at a self-sustaining functional level, consisting of several thousand individuals inhabiting nearly 500 kms of protected river. In the 1970s, the species dwindled toward extinction, and has remained on the brink ever since. It survives elsewhere only in isolated small populations scattered across the Ganges basin of Nepal and India.
Pic/Phoebe Giffith - Himalayan Gharial Project
"Gharial are a very weird crocodilian, with their long snouts, and the bulbous âghara' structure on the end of the snouts of the huge adult males," says Dr Phoebe Griffith, assessment co-author, and researcher at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Germany, and research fellow at Himalayan Nature, Kathmandu.
"From an ecological and evolutionary perspective, they are quite unique. Additionally, looking back through the history of south Asia, you can spot gharial swimming through artworks for the last 5,000 years. This shows the species is also a critical piece of cultural heritage, that people have shared rivers with for thousands of years. It is only with the emergence of large-scale river infrastructure, initiated in the colonial period and continuing into the modern day, that everything started to go wrong for gharial," Griffith said.
But the same rivers they rely on are under threat. Dams, barrages, canals, water removal, sand mining, and getting caught in fishing nets are all problems for the species. Gharials need natural riverbanks for nesting, and many of these are being lost or damaged.
The Green Status does not just measure how close a species is to extinction like the Red List does - it also shows how far the species is from full recovery, and how much it still depends on conservation. Gharials scored high for their Conservation Legacy, because past efforts clearly helped. But they also scored high for Conservation Dependence, meaning they still need strong protection and active help to survive.
Pic/PJailabdeen A. - Gharial Ecology Project, MCBT
Experts say that restoring rivers, protecting key areas, and working with local communities are the most effective ways to help gharials recover. Captive breeding and releasing young gharials into the wild can help in some cases, but protecting natural habitats is more important in the long run.
Dr Griffith said the Narayani-Gandak river system in Nepal is one area with strong potential for recovery - but only if better conservation plans are put in place. "One of the most promising examples is the community-led nest protection work happening in the Rapti River, where local people help protect nesting areas," she said. "Young gharials are now being seen more often there - something that was very rare just ten years ago."
Co-author Jailabdeen A., Director of the Gharial Ecology Project said, "Identifying the spatial units that continue to be inhabited by gharial, and ranking these on the bases of adult numbers, breeding success, and intact, protected riverine habitats is key to setting priorities. Conservation actions need to be strategically focused where these will have maximum impact. And don't forget, riverside communities need to be included as major players in such efforts."
