Boudh: Good news for animal lovers, a female gharial near Baladamada in Satkosia gorge gave birth to 35 hatchlings last Thursday, sources said Sunday. After a long 40-year interval, this marks the fourth consecutive successful natural hatching in this habitat. It is noted that a female gharial laid eggs near Baladamada in the Satkosia Gorge last March. The eggs were expected to hatch after a month, but the extreme heat caused a delay in hatching, causing concern for the wildlife department. To support the gharial breeding, fishing and boating activities in the core areas were strictly prohibited.
Despite the delay, the birth of 35 hatchlings brought joy to the Satkosia wildlife staff. The Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary, under the Mahanadi Wildlife Division and Angul Forest Division, established a gharial conservation project at Tikarpada in 1975 with the primary aim of increasing the gharial population in the Mahanadi River. A research centre and a conservation centre for gharials were also established at Tikarpada for this purpose. However, despite various efforts, the gharial population did not increase significantly in Satkosia, sparking concerns among the experts. In 2020, several male and female gharials were released into the gorge for artificial breeding, and their activities were closely monitored. In 2022, for the first time, a female gharial near Baladamada in Satkosia gave birth to 28 hatchlings.
In May 2022, another female gharial was spotted playing with 30 hatchlings, as per a release by the wildlife department. As many as 35 gharial hatchlings were born again in May 2023. The continuous birth of gharials for four consecutive periods has spread cheers in Satkosia. The consistent birth of gharials indicates success in the breeding efforts of gharials in Satkosia. May has become a special month for Satkosia with the birth of gharial hatchlings in every May. The wildlife department is currently laying stress on the protection of these hatchlings.