Crocodile tears

February 20, 2008

Poisoning or ranching, the future of Indian crocodiles looks pretty grim.

'Ghariyals' in UP, MP were poisoned

Agencies

Saturday, February 16, 2008 23:46 IST

*A report by an expert panel says the endangered reptiles died due to

hunger and toxins*

NEW DELHI: The recent large number of deaths of alligators or 'ghariyal' in

the Chambal river, running from Madhya Pradesh to Uttar Pradesh has been

ascribed to hunger and to a toxin which affected the kidneys of the

reptiles.

The experts committee, set up to inquire into the causes of the deaths, had

in its interim report concluded that toxins affected the kidneys of the

reptiles, which in turn led to an increase in the uric acid in the joint of

the crocodilian, constraining their movement to hunt fish, said UP chief

wildlife warden DNS Suman here. " So in a way, we can say that that the

reptiles died both of hunger and toxicity, " he said.

Suman had come to take part in the State Wildife and Forest Officers

Conference organised by the environment and forests ministry. It is

estimated that as many as 67 'ghariyals' had died on the UP side and 35 on

the MP side. There is no pollution in the Chambal, but the toxin came from

the Yamuna side, and through a fish. The fish called 'tilapia', which is of

African origin came into the Yamuna system and replaced the local species

which were more resistant to the toxin which is yet to be identified, said

Suman. He said the final report will be submitted to the government in a

week or 10 days.

The Indian alligator (Gavialis Gangeticus) is on the red list of critically

endangered species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature

and Natural Resources. The deaths were brought to the notice of the

government in December by an NGO, the Society for Conservation of Nature.

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