30 alligators from Kukrail released in Ghaghra River

BAHRAICH: As many as 62 alligators have been brought to Ghaghra River from Kukrail in Lucknow to be released in the river. In the first phase, 30 alligators have been released in Ghaghra in the presence of experts on Tuesday. A radio tag has also been attached on the tail of 10 alligators. The remaining 32 have been kept in a bamboo cage submerged in the river. The exercise is being done to increase the population of alligators.
The population of alligators is decreasing rapidly. These aquatic animals come under the endangered category. The forest department is taking the assistance of various organizations for conservation of alligators. According to the forest department, only 2% of the alligators are confined to few rivers of India and Nepal. Hence, efforts were started to increase the population of alligators in Ghaghra River. The forest department has made a plan of the conservation of alligators with the help of Turtle Survival Alliance, under which 62 alligators were brought to Ghaghra River at Jarwal Road from Alligator Rehabilitation Centre at Kukrail.
Turtle Survival Alliance director Shailendra Singh and coordinator of rehabilitation project Bhaskar Dixit said that 30 alligators have been released in Ghaghra in the first phase after attaching a radio tag on the tails of 10 so that the behavior could be studied. The radio tag would also help in finding out their natural habitat and activities. Singh said that the remaining 32 alligators have been kept in a bamboo cage submerged in Ghaghra near Jhuripurwa village on Jarwal Raod. After studying the behavior and activities of the alligators released in the river, those 32 kept in cage would also be released.
The illegal and uncontrolled sand mining in the river is deadly for the natural habitat and protection of eggs and reproduction area of the water species.