INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Volume 4, No 4, Copyright by the authors - Licensee IPA- Under Creative Commons license 3.

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1 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Volume 4, No 4, 2014 Copyright by the authors - Licensee IPA- Under Creative Commons license 3.0 Research article ISSN Assessment of potential suitable habitats stretch of fresh water Crocodile, Gharial Gavialis gangeticus (Gmelin 1789) in the Chambal River, Madhya Pradesh, India Taigor 1, 2 S. R, Rao R. J School of Studies in Zoology, Jiwaji University, Gwalior , India 2- World Wide Fund for Nature- India Project Office, Vigyan Nagar, Ranthambhore Road, Sawai Madhopur , Rajasthan, India staigor@wwfindia.net doi: /ijes ABSTRACT The freshwater Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is protected under National and International conservation laws as a critical endangered species. In India, the species is endemic to the Ganges and the Brahmaputra river systems and the populations are purported to have declined drastically due to human activities causing habitat loss. We have studied the habitat use pattern of Gharial from 2006 to The study was carried out in the Chambal River covering a stretch of 395 km i.e. between Pali to Chakarnagar, in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Sampling strategy consisted of boat transects followed by direct sighting method and data was collected at every 5 km. Gharial habitats was observed 265 km out of 395 km area surveys. Gharial was sighted 51 sites out of 395 km. Habitat preferences of Gharials are attributed to deep pools and steep sand banks for nesting and basking. Conservation implications have been discussed in the light of the results indicating the suitable habitat pattern for the Gharial species in the particular River stretch. Key Words: Gharial, Chambal, Habitats, sand banks, nesting and basking 1. Introduction Habitat has been defined as the location that supports a population including space, food, cover and other animals (Giles, 1978). According to Haslam (1991) and Cairns (1982), habitat use by a particular species can be best understood by monitoring its movements, which ultimately would reflect its behavior or responses to the habitat. Observations of a number of species sharing the same habitat suggest that they co-exist by utilizing different resources (Smith, 1990) either having different food habits or active in different times (Hussain, 1993). Habitats are judged by measuring selected variables. Techniques for measuring aquatic habitat variables are described by Armour et al.,1983; Platts et al., 1983; Hemilton and Bergersen (1984) and for terrestrial habitats by Daubenmire (1968), De Vos and Mosby (1971), Avery (1975), Chapman (1976). Cook and Bonham (1977), Green (1979), Hays et al. (1981), Kotwal (1982), Kotwal and Sawrkar (1983). The habitat quality of different aquatic animals had been extensively analyzed in different aquatic bodies. The animals include turtles (Rao, 1990), Crocodiles (Singh, 1978; 1985; Rao 1988; Sharma, 1991; Taigor and Rao, 2010a; Nair and Krishna, 2013; Hussain et al. 2013), Otters (Hussain, 1993) and wetland birds (Ali and Vijayan, 1986). These aquatic animals prefer different habitat characteristics like deep or shallow waters, fast or slow flowing Rivers, and sandy or muddy or Rocky River banks for various activities like feeding, basking Received on November 2013 Published on January

2 and breeding. Habitat preferences by various size/age groups were also reported for turtles (Rao, 1990); Crocodiles (Singh, 1978, 1985) and Otters (Hussain, 1993). In the present study assessment of potential suitable habitats stretch of fresh water Crocodile, Gharial in the Chambal River, Madhya Pradesh, India discussed 2. Methodology The Chambal River is a tributary of the Yamuna River in Central India, and forms part of the greater Gangetic drainage system. The 960 km long Chambal River originates from the Singar Chouri peak in the northern slopes the Vindhyan escarpment, 15 km West-South- West of Mhow in Indore District in Madhya Pradesh State. The River flows first in a northerly direction in Madhya Pradesh for a length of about 346 km and then in a generally north-easterly direction for a length of 225 km though Rajasthan. The Chambal River flows for another 217 km between M.P. and Rajasthan and further 145 km between M.P. and Uttar Pradesh. It enters U.P. and flows for about 32 km before joining the Yamuna River in Etawah District at an elevation of 122m, to form a part of the greater Gangetic drainage System. In this reach, it is boundary by the Aravalli mountain ranges on the North and the Vindhyan hill range on the south The present study was undertaken in the Chambal River, Madhya Pradesh from Field Map sheet developed from a 1:50,000 Topo Map sheet of 5 Km stretch (each sheet) is needed to locate the Gharial habitats and write notes. Maximum care should be taken of the visibility during the survey. Foggy/high wind days should be avoided for the survey. Survey was carried out to using motorized boats (with a speed limit of 4-6 Km/hr). In a rowing boat care has to be taken about the double count as the boat speed is extremely slow (2-3 Km/hr). Observations were recorded using the binoculars, camera and global positing system (GARMIN-12). The stretch of Chambal River, Madhya Pradesh has divided in to nine zones which were based on annual survey carried out from Pali to Chakarnager (0-395). Pali is considering as zero km of the study area. Survey zones was Pali-Rameshwar (0-22), Rameshwar-Chenpur (22-60), Chenpur-Sarsaini (60-165), Sarsaini-Rajghat ( ), Raghat---Babu Singh ka Gher ( ), Babu Singh ka Gher-Usedght ( ), Usedghat- Ater ( ), Ater Barai ( ), and Barai-Chakarnagar ( ). Map-1 Figure 1: Study area of Chambal River 545

3 3. Results Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) Gmelin, 1789, the only survivor of the Gavialidae family is one of the most endangered crocodile in the world (Critically Endangered CE Red list of IUCN, 2007). Historically occurring in north part of Indian Subcontinent, including rivers of Pakistan, Burma, North India, Nepal and Bhutan, wild Gharial populations are known to be currently present in India and Nepal. Gharial has been saved from extinction in the 70 s thanks to a captive rearing and restocking programs led in India and in Nepal. Despite these efforts, the situation of the gharial population is going back very critical: it appears that, in the wild, less than 200 adults crocodiles are living in India and Nepal (Maskey, et al. 2006). Touted as the most successful conservation story in India for decades, the gharial conservation program is in the doldrums today. Being a specialist in the choice of habitat (only deep rivers) and prey (only fish) limits the Gharials ability to survive in disturbed and marginal areas. Formerly found in almost every river system in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent (all the way from the Indus in present day Pakistan to the Irrawady in Myanmar), today it is found in a few protected areas disconnected by several hundred kilometers. In India, the National Chambal Sanctuary holds the largest population of gharial (about 90% of the total) followed by Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, and Son Wildlife Sanctuary. In Nepal, the Rapti and Narayani rivers hold a few Gharials. The Gharial is extinct from Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Gharial are fully distributed in entire stretch of Chambal river, in 2006 and 2008 Gharial habitat was measured on suitable and unsuitable location on the basis of number of Gharial present on site. In the presence of Gharial 265 km was measured suitable Gharial site (Gharial seen) 130 km was unsuitable sites (Gharial not seen) out of 395 km of Chambal river. Gharial was sighted near the 39 sites in 2006, 49 sites in 2007 and 51 Sites in Table show on Gharial habitats sites in the Chambal River, Madhya Pradesh.Table-1, and Figure 1. Table1: Estimation of Suitable habitats of Gharial S. No. Suitable habitats stretch for Gharial Not suitable habitats for Gharial Survey Stretch Km Survey Stretch Km *On the basis of species present during the survey From Pali- Chakarnagar # 0 km is Pali 546

4 4. Discussion Figure 2: Female Gharial on sand bank habitat at Chambal River Wildlife in the Chambal River is very much influenced by various factors like habitat suitability and protection of their habitats. Their distribution is depending on availability of deep water pools, which are present in many zones, maximum in Northern part of the Sanctuary. Another important factor on which distribution of animals depends is long stretches of sand banks. Sand banks of different categories like steep, flat, mid-river islands are present in different zones. Such areas provide good habitats for nesting of crocodiles, turtles and birds (Taigor and Rao.2008, 2010b). The habitat, as the key to organizing knowledge about wildlife and maintenance of appropriate habitat is the foundation of all wildlife management (Thomas, 1979). Panwar (1983) stated that the habitat requirements of wild animals must be known in a spatio- temporal context. He further stated that examination of habitat should be done with the consideration of food cover. Species richness can be affected by habitat loss, fragmentation and modification (Zug et al. 2001). The present studies shown only suitable and non suitable habitats of critically endangered Gharial in the Chambal River Madhya Pradesh. 5. Conclusion Observations of suitable and non suitable sand banks were assessment during the census and frequently field visits during the study periods. Observations of Wildlife habitats were considerably altered and there are disturbance in the core areas of the sanctuary by the sand miners, poachers fishermen and farmers. Considering the poor survival it is recommended to provide greater protection by management practices. Effective co-operation between the forest departments of M.P., U.P. and Rajasthan is need as conservation of critically endangered species of crocodile. 547

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