EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Historically, the gharial’s range spanned rivers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. Today, only fragmented populations remain in Nepan and northern India. Gharials are adapted to an aquatic lifestyle in large rivers, and individuals typically only leave the water to bask and nest on sandbanks.

Detailed explanation-2: -Today, their major population occur in three tributaries of the Ganga River: the Chambal and the Girwa Rivers in India and the Rapti-Naryani River in Nepal. The Gharial reserves of India are located in three States – Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Detailed explanation-3: -The gharial once thrived in all the major river systems of the northern Indian subcontinent, from the Indus River in Pakistan, the Ganges in India, the Brahmaputra River in northeastern India and Bangladesh to the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar.

Detailed explanation-4: -The largest specimen was found in Odisha, and reached 7.0 m (23.0 ft). Its population numbers about 300. Saltwater crocodiles live in the mangroves of Bhittarkanika and Sunderbans, Mahanadi Delta, and in the swamplands in Odisha and West Bengal (including rivers).