GUWAHATI, 9 May: The critically endangered gharial has been spotted in the Kaziranga National Park [KNP] after the reptile was long believed to have disappeared from Assam’s river systems, officials said on Saturday.
They said the sighting was a testimony to the conservation efforts undertaken in the state.
The gharial is a critically endangered South Asian crocodilian species known for its exceptionally long and slender snout and fish-based diet.
“Once believed to have disappeared from Assam’s river systems, the critically endangered gharial has now been spotted at Kaziranga, a truly remarkable moment for wildlife conservation,” the chief minister’s office (CMO) said in a post on X.
The CMO also shared an 18-second video clip showing the reptile in a waterbody, filmed from a motor-powered boat.
“For tourists and forest officials alike, this was more than just a rare sighting. It was a powerful reminder of Assam’s extraordinary biodiversity and the silent success of sustained conservation efforts across our forests, wetlands and rivers,” the CMO said. (PTI)