Page 54 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #04

GHARIALS

scatter. “When the water comes up it creates a lot of
shallow habitat for the hatchlings,” explains Lang.
“The crèche loses its integrity when the adults are no
longer nearby.”
The turbulence of the waters at the Chambal–Yamuna
junction is a rich fishing spot. Here, the adult gharials do
nothing but gorge on fish for the next two months. “They
seem to get as much as two-thirds to three-quarters of
their energy requirements during the warm monsoon
months, when water temperatures are high and food is
abundant,” says Lang.
HANGING AROUND
However, the half-grown and subadult gharials don’t
budge, staying year-round in the Chambal. This is one
reason the poisoned victims couldn’t have died from
toxins in the Yamuna in the winter of 2007. Instead,
a one-time toxic event in the local area probably killed
them. The mystery hasn’t been solved. But Lang’s
research is nonetheless revealing much that was
unknown about this species.
In the decade since, gharials are faring better than
protection. They work together when multiple predators Top: young are they were. Lang conservatively estimates the total adult
approach the hatchlings. These younger apprentice males left to fend for gharial population at between 650 and 750. The bulk of
themselves once
may become familiar with nesting females, giving them these animals, about 80 per cent, live in the 428km-long
the monsoon
an advantage in future breeding attempts.” National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary.
arrives. Above:
On another occasion, an adult male gharial chased males can be “The Chambal is the crown jewel in terms of the
away one of the superdads and guarded his rival’s distinguished remaining wild gharials, living in an open, dynamic
brood. He may do this to “maintain his dominance as a from females by big river,” says Lang.
their large ghara.
breeder”, says Lang. When the monsoon recedes in September the adult
gharials, with their bellies full of fish, glide upriver
LEFT BEHIND back to their old haunts. Very few of their hatchlings will
The behaviour, unique among crocodilians, lasts a few have survived in their absence. But, come February, there
weeks until the monsoon reaches full swing in July or will be plenty of opportunity to have a go at it again.
August. Then the situation changes completely.
At that point the adults abandon the young and head + FIND OUT MORE JANAKI LENIN writes
downriver. They swim many kilometres in a matter of days Learn more about gharial conservation about wildlife and the
to reach the confluence of the Chambal and Yamuna. One by visiting www.facebook.com/ environment and
female with a GPS transmitter coasted more than 200km GharialEcologyProject and is based in India; www.janaki
www.madrascrocodilebank.org
downstream in less than a week. Meanwhile, the young lenin.blogspot.co.uk
54 BBC Wildlife April 2018