Adult Gharial rescued from Indira Gandhi Canal in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan and brought back for rehabilitating and release in Punjab's Beas River CR
An adult male/female Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), measuring over 12 feet in length, has been successfully rescued from the Indira Gandhi Canal Project (IGNP) in Rajasthan after nearly five months of coordinated monitoring across multiple districts. The animal has been safely transported to Chhatbir Zoo, Punjab, where it will undergo health assessment, rehabilitation and acclimatisation before its planned release into the Beas River Conservation Reserve.
The rescue operation is the culmination of sustained coordination between the Forest Departments of Rajasthan and Punjab, wildlife experts, and field teams that continuously tracked the animal's movements through the extensive canal network.
Background
Punjab has emerged as an important landscape for the conservation of the Critically Endangered Gharial. 94 juvenile Gharial were successfully reintroduced into the Beas River Conservation Reserve through a collaborative conservation programme led by the Punjab Forest Department with technical support from WWF-India and other partner institutions. Since the reintroduction, released individuals have been regularly monitored through scientific surveys and field observations, with encouraging evidence of survival, dispersal and adaptation to the Beas Harike Sutlej River ecosystem.
The rehabilitation and release of rescued Gharials to suitable habitats is an important component of strengthening the recovering population in the Beas River while contributing to the long-term conservation of the species in north-western India.
Rescue Timeline
The first information regarding the presence of the Gharial in IGNP was received when Chief Wildlife Warden, Rajasthan contacted Chief Wildlife Warden, Punjab on 14 March 2026, following a brief sighting of the animal on 13 March in the Indira Gandhi Canal within Ganganagar district and requested that a rescue team may be sent from Punjab as Rajasthan has very little experience in the rescue and rehabilitation of gharials. Initial assessments and review of photographs and videos indicated that the adult Gharial was moving along an approximately 25 km stretch of the canal, both upstream and downstream. Although rescue efforts were considered, the operation could not be initiated due to the high volume and velocity of water being released through the canal for Rabi irrigation, coupled with the continuous movement of the animal.
On 5 May 2026, the Gharial was sighted again near the border of Ganganagar and Bikaner districts in the main IGNP canal. Water conditions were comparatively favourable, and all necessary permissions for the rescue operation were secured. However, just before the Punjab Forest Department rescue team commenced its rescue operation, the animal was reported to have moved further downstream. In the absence of confirmed sightings over the following days by the Rajasthan Forest Department, the rescue operation was temporarily suspended until the animal could be relocated.
The Gharial was sighted once again towards the end of June 2026 in the IGNP Stage-II canal, further downstream from its previous location. Despite confirmation of its presence, rescue could not be attempted as the canal continued to carry a strong current and a high volume of water, making capture unsafe for both the animal and the rescue team.
On 27 July 2026, the animal was finally located in the Mohangarh Minor in Jaisalmer district, where water levels and flow conditions were suitable the adult Gharial, measuring more than 12 feet in length was successfully rescued.
Following the successful rescue, the adult Gharial was temporarily housed at Rajasthan Forest Department Facility in Mohangarh, Rajasthan, where it underwent initial rehabilitation, veterinary examination and health assessment. After being certified fit for transport and following established safety protocols of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and IUCN guidelines for crocodilian capture, handling and transportation, the animal was safely transferred to Chhatbir Zoo, Punjab, for further rehabilitation, acclimatisation and comprehensive health screening.
Following assessment and approval by wildlife authorities, the animal is proposed to be released into the Beas River Conservation Reserve, further strengthening the recovering Gharial population in Punjab.
Conservation Significance
This successful rescue demonstrates the importance of sustained inter-state collaboration among the Forest Departments, continuous field surveillance by the field teams, guidance by the subject experts and rapid coordination among wildlife managers of Rajasthan and Punjab. Large river reptiles such as Gharials frequently move through interconnected river and canal systems, making coordinated conservation efforts across state boundaries essential for their long-term survival.
The proposed release into the Beas River Conservation Reserve represents another significant milestone in the ongoing recovery of one of India's most endangered freshwater reptiles and reinforces the commitment of the Punjab Forest Department and its conservation partners (WWF-India) towards securing viable populations of Gharials in the north-western region of the country.
