‘MP lost 47 gharials from 2007-10 in Chambal sanctuary’

The Pioneer , Friday, November 26, 2010
Correspondent : Staff Reporter | Bhopal

Madhya Pradesh has lost 47 ghariyals in the portion of the Chambal sanctuary that falls inside its territory between 2007 and 2010. State Forest officials maintain that a major chunk of the mortalities occurred in December 2007 and January 2008, when an unknown toxic substance had led to mass casualties among ghariyals.

The sanctuary, known for housing rare species like ghariyal, crocodile and dolphins is spread across the States of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Replying to a query in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Union Minister of State for Forest and Environment Jairam Ramesh said the sanctuary has lost 127 gharials in the period 2007-10. Five crocodiles also succumbed due to various reasons during the same period, the Minister elaborated.

Of these casualties, Madhya Pradesh reported 47, Rajasthan reported just two, while Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of 78 casualties. The Minister informed that there are about 800 gharials and 300 crocodiles in the National Chambal Sanctuary (NCS).

According to the Minister the deaths could be attributed mostly to the reasons like natural death, poaching and possible effects of some toxins.

When quizzed over the deaths, NCS Superintendent SC Bhadauria clarified the reason behind high mortalities by informing that around 35 gharials had died in the sanctuary areas falling in the MP by the end of 2007 and start of the following year, when scores of gharials had been affected with an unknown toxic substance across the sanctuary.

He informed that barring this unfortunate incident; the sanctuary has only witnessed handful mortalities caused by natural reasons in the last few years. Bhadauria informed that after the 2007 incident, the forest department has stepped up monitoring in the sanctuary and experts have provided special training to veterinarians in the area.

 
SOURCE : http://www.dailypioneer.com/299225/%E2%80%98MP-lost-47-gharials-from-2007-10-in-Chambal-sanctuary%E2%80%99.html
 


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