Gharials die fighting for territory rights in Nandankanan

Bhubaneswar, Sep 25 (UNI) An infighting to exhibit the supremacy and territorial right has led to the tragic death of two adult Gharials inside the pool of the Nandankanan Zoo.

While one of them was found dead with multiple injuries near the pool on Saturday, the other succumbed to injuries yesterday morning.

Infighting between the Gharials in the wild and artificial habitat is common as the crocodiles have an immense territorial feeling and try to impose their supremacy during the breeding season.

The Zoo had an over population of gharials with more than 35 adults--seven male and over 40 sub-adults, sources said.

The authority in the past had released as many as 500 gharials into their natural habitat to reduce the crowd in the captivity.

Zoo Director Ajit Pattnaik said the Gharial captive breeding in Nandankanan commenced in 1975 with central funding but then the programme came to an abrupt end in 1995-96 after the Centre stopped providing further funds.

He said the authority had decided to thin the Gharial population inside the pool by releasing them into the Mahanadi river near the Satkosia gorge, an ideal habitat for the gharials.

However, a series of floods since July abandoned the idea fearing that the reptiles would lose their territorial instinct and be exposed to the threat of survival.

Mr Pattnaik said on many occasions earlier the Gharials had indulged in infighting during the breeding season and were injured in the process.

But this time the fight was more violent and the Zoo authority found it difficult to contain the battle for supremacy.

''Once the flood water starts receeding we would release them into the Satkosia gorge,'' he said.

''We want to limit the number of Gharials inside the pool to a maximum of six adults and a few sub-adults to carry out the breeding programme, while the rest would be released soon,'' Mr Pattnaik said.

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