| Sathkosia Gorge Sanctuary- Mahanadi River |
| Orissa, India |
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| Habitat Area (length x river width): |
4.2 km2 of gharial habitat |
| Significance: |
Limited potential unless dam moderates release of monsoon overflow |
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| Status: |
Fragile and vulnerable |
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| Latest survey results (2006): |
2 adults |
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Dams |
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Habitat destruction |
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| The beautiful Sathkosia Gorge Sanctuary is part of the Mahanadi river in Orissa. Reports prior to 1960 describe “a fairly plentiful supply of gharial” on the Mahanadi. By the time the crocodile project started there in 1976 there were only a few left. Since 1978 over 700 ‘head-started’ gharial were released in the 24 kilometer Sathkosia Gorge Sanctuary. Today there are 2 adults left. Many advancements have been made to remove threats to gharial, but one significant threat remains-the Hirakud dam. Fishing with nets that kill gharial was effectively stopped, bamboo rafting (which disturbed basking and nesting females) was halted and the Sanctuary was well managed. However every year the huge Hirakud dam upriver fills with monsoon surplus and before it reaches the danger level the water is released all at once, creating what must be a tsunami for a gharial. Any that are unlucky enough to be in the main river and not sheltered in a tributary (which there are very few of in that part of the river) are swept downstream out of the protected are, and sometimes all the way to the sea, to perish. If some agreement could be made with the river authorities to prevent this sudden and total monsoonal release of water from the dam there may be a chance for gharials in the Mahanadi. Since gharial breed so well in still ponds in captivity it is possible they’ll breed in the Hirakud reservoir, which could be an important future possibility as their natural habitat is being rapidly degraded. Survey work is needed to determine if other Orissa rivers or tributaries would be suitable for gharial reintroduction and survival in the long term |
