News: The Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife (SCNBWL) has recommended the inclusion of gharial and sloth bear in the Centre’s Species Recovery Programme.
Gharial, Sloth Bear added to Centre’s critically endangered species scheme
About Gharials
- It is a species of Asian crocodilian distinguished by their long, thin snouts which resembles a pot (ghara in Hindi).
- Habitat: They prefer to live in riverine habitats with deep, clear, fast-moving water and steep, sandy banks.
- Distribution: It was once found across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.
- However, currently it survives in several severely fragmented populations in India and Nepal.
- In India, Gharials are present in Chambal, Yamuna, Ganga, Son, Sharda, Girwa, Gandak, Ramganga, Mahanadi and Brahmaputra
- Conservation status
- IUCN Red list: Critically Endangered
- Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
- CITES: Appendix I
- Threats: Construction of Dam, barrages, and water abstraction, entanglement in fishing nets, River bed cultivation and sand mining.
- Conservation initiatives
- Project Crocodile: Indian government launched the Project with UNDP and FAO in 1975.
- It included an intensive captive rearing and breeding programme intended to revive dwindling gharial population.
- The National Chambal Sanctuary (Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh) and Ken Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary (Madhya Pradesh) are wildlife sanctuaries in India.
- Project Crocodile: Indian government launched the Project with UNDP and FAO in 1975.
About Sloth bears
- Sloth bears are one of the eight bear species found across the world.
- They are myrmecophagous, i.e. they find bugs and termites to be their most sought after meal.
- Habitat: It is a forest-dwelling bears that inhabits tropical or subtropical regions of India and Sri Lanka.
- Distribution: Around 90% of the species’ population is found in India. A small population of bears is also found in Nepal and Sri Lanka.
- Characteristics
- They are very fond of honey, hence their alternative name of “honey bear”.
- They do not hibernate.
- Threats
- Exploited as dancing bears by the nomadic Kalandar community members
- Human sloth bear conflict in States like Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra
- Habitat loss
- Poaching for body parts
- Hunted because of their aggressive behaviour and destruction of crops
- Conservation Status
- IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
- CITES: Appendix I
- Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972: Schedule I
About Endangered Species Recovery Plans (ESRP)
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