CHITWAN, JANUARY 3: A total of 265 crocodiles and three dolphins have been found in the Narayani and Rapti rivers that flow through the Chitwan National Park. During a recent survey, 113 crocodiles including three male crocodiles were spotted in the Narayani River while 152 including 3 male crocodiles were seen in the Rapti River, according to Ganesh Prasad Tiwari, Information Officer of the Park.
The survey was conducted by 10 employees of the Park and the National Trust for Nature Conservation from December 17 to 31 in 2023, said Tiwari. The team also recorded three dolphins in these rivers during the survey, he added. He shared that male crocodiles were brought from the Bardia district and released to these two rivers in 2074 BS due to the lack of male crocodiles in the river.
A reproduction centre has been established in the Park to protect and propagate the near-extinct Ghadiyal crocodile. Protection of Ghadiyal crocodiles is becoming challenging lately due to human encroachment on rivers, trapping them in fishing nets and illegal extraction of stone and aggregates.
RSS
