Gandak River

Gandak River Latest News

The Gandak River has emerged as the second major river after the Chambal with the highest number of gharials, also known as fish-eating crocodiles.

About Gandak River

• The Gandak River, also known as the Narayani and Gandaki, is one of the major rivers in Nepal and a left-bank tributary of the Ganges in India.
• It is mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit epic Mahabharata.
• Course:
  • It originates at an altitude of 7620 m above msl to the north of Dhaulagiri Mountain in Tibet near the Nepal border. 
  • After flowing through Tibet, it crosses Nepal, where it is also known as Narayani, to enter the Indian Territory. 
  • The river enters India from Valmikinagar in the West Champaran district of Bihar. The entry point of the river is at the Indo–Nepal border and is known as Triveni.
  • In India, it flows southeast, across the upper Gangetic plain in eastern Uttar Pradesh and northwestern Bihar. 
  • Gandak joins Ganga near Patna in Vaishali district of Bihar.
• The total length of the river is 700 km. In India, it covers a course of more than 300 km.
• It is bounded on the north by the Himalayas, south by the River Ganga, east by the Burhi Gandak Basin and on the west by the Ghagra Basin.
• There are about 1,710 glaciers and over 300 lakes in the upper catchment of Gandaki.
• Due to the steep slope and loose soil in the upper catchment, Gandak carries a lot of silt and other deposits to the Indian side, resulting in a continuous shifting course of the river.
• While flowing through the Nepal Himalayas, it forms the Kali Gandaki gorge, one of the deepest river gorges in the world.
• Two important protected areas, Chitwan National Park in Nepal and the adjacent Valmiki Tiger reserve in India, have been established in the basin.
• Major Tributaries: Daraudi, Seti, Madi, Marsyandi, and Budhi Gandaki.

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Key Facts about Gharial

• It is a freshwater crocodile.
• Scientific Name: Gavialis gangeticus
• The name ‘gharial’ comes from the Hindi word ghara, meaning pot or vessel, referring to the bulbous snout tip of adult males, which resembles an inverted pot.
• Distribution: 
  • Historically, the gharial’s range spanned rivers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. 
  • Today, only fragmented populations remain in Nepal and northern India.
  • The Gharial reserves of India are located in three States: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
  • In India, the National Chambal Sanctuary holds about 90% of the surviving gharials. 
• Features:
  • It is one of the largest crocodilian species, with males reaching 16 to 20 feet (5 to 6 meters) in length. 
  • Females typically grow to lengths of 11.5 to 15 feet (3.5 to 4.5 meters).
  • They have thick skin covered with smooth epidermal scales that do not overlap. 
  • The snout of the gharial is uniquely the thinnest and most elongated among all the crocodilians.
  • In addition, the adult males sport a large bulb at the tip of their snout, called the ‘ghara’. 
  • It is also the most aquatic of all crocodilians, for it never moves far from the water.  Individuals typically only leave the water to bask and nest on sandbanks.
  • Reproduction: They mate during November–January and lay eggs March–May.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered

Source: TOI