Dr SMA Rashid holds a young gharial. Photo: courtesy

Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), one of the three crocodilian species found in the wild in Bangladesh, is on the verge of extinction and it is presumed that there are no breeding adults in the wild.
Gharials are a natural heritage of Bangladesh and a flagship species for the aquatic/riverine habitat.
The Centre for Advanced Research in Natural Resources & Management (CARINAM) has started a survey to find out the breeding population of gharials in Bangladesh. The project is supported by Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MBZ), Abu Dhabi, UAE.
With permission from the Forest Department, CARINAM has started gharial survey in the Padma and Jamuna rivers. The survey team has recently visited the Padma from Charghat to Hakimpur, Godagari (close to Indian border) and Jamuna river from Fulchari/Gaibandha to Faschiar Char (north of Chilmari), says a press release.
"The politics and lobbying has made the people to believe that species loss is not a threat to their survival, thus leading to the loss of species at a faster rate than presumed. This need to be changed and priority actions targeted to protect and conserve the species and their habitats should be chalked out for implementation," it added.
CARINAM has requested the people having any information about the sighting of adult breeding gharials anywhere in Bangladesh to contact its Chief Executive Dr SMA Rashid on mobile phone (01717-318906) or via e-mail: [email protected].
The other two species of crocodiles -- freshwater crocodile or mugger (Crocodylus palustris), which is no more found in the wild, and the saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), found only in the Sunderbans, -- are also declining due to various factors such as habitat destruction, disturbances by humans, including capture of young hatchlings by fishermen.