Seven adult gharials, including five from Nandankanan, released into Odisha’s Satkosia

In a significant step towards the conservation of the endangered gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), seven adult gharials were released into the Mahanadi River gorge at Odisha’s Satkosia on Wednesday.

The release took place at Sunakhani Ghat in the presence of Odisha's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), during a two-day review of conservation activities in the region.

Of the seven reptiles, five were brought from the Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar, while the remaining two were sourced from the Satkosia-based Tikarpada Gharial Research and Conservation Unit (GRACU).

The released group includes five females and two males, all released as part of the state’s ongoing Gharial Recovery Programme.

Tracking Through Radio Collars and Scientific Monitoring

According to Chief Wildlife Warden Prem Kumar Jha, the department plans to release more radio-tagged gharials into the 21-km-long Mahanadi gorge inside the Satkosia Tiger Reserve.

The practice of tagging allows conservationists to track the reptiles using radio frequency and analyse their adaptation to natural habitats. Between 2019 and 2022, a total of 19 gharials were released in five batches, with the most recent release occurring in February 2022.

ALSO READ: Odisha chief secretary witnesses mass hatching of turtles hours after thunderstorm

Gharial Population on the Rise in Satkosia

Satkosia remains Odisha’s only natural breeding ground for gharials. A 2023 survey reported seven naturally bred and four radio-collared gharials in the region. As of 2024, the gharial population in the gorge has risen to 16, marking a slow but promising increase in the species’ numbers.

Officials believe consistent release and monitoring through radio telemetry, combined with local habitat protection, are pivotal to ensuring the long-term survival of gharials in the wild.