RATNANAGAR: Considered rare species of crocodiles, conservation of the Gharial crocodile has become challenging in recent times.

The Chitwan National Park (CNP) has established a crocodile breeding center at Kasara with an aim to conserve and protect these rare species.

However, although the Park has been protecting the Gharial crocodiles at the breeding center, the number of these species has not increased thanks to the pollution in the rivers and the excavation of sand and pebbles in the rivers.

He said it requires approximately one million rupees to bring up a Gharial baby for five years. Although we have been releasing the crocodiles in the rivers every year their number has not increased.

The CNP has been releasing more than 150 Gharial crocodiles annually in the Rapti, Narayani and Babai rivers for the last five years. A total of 1,300 crocodiles in these rivers have been released so far, according to CNP.

According to Ved Bahadur Khadka, Assistant Conservation Officer at the CNP, the crocodile breeding center has been collecting crocodile eggs at vulnerable spots in the Rapti and Narayani rivers.

He said it requires approximately one million rupees to bring up a Gharial baby for five years. Although we have been releasing the crocodiles in the rivers every year their number has not increased.

Meanwhile, the crocodiles are at times swept away by flood towards India while several of them are killed after being trapped in nets laid out by fishermen.

According to CNP, four crocodiles died after being trapped in net till February 12, 2019 from mid-August 2018.

Chief Conservation Officer at Chitwan National Park, Ved Prasad Dhakal, has warned that the Gharial crocodile would disappear if the activities and water pollution are not checked.