A recent survey by Chitwan National Park (CNP) has recorded 366 gharials in the Rapti and Narayani rivers, with officials also reporting the sighting of a river dolphin in the Narayani during the count.

Abinash Thapa Magar, the park’s information officer, said that seven gharials were directly counted in Rapti and two in Narayani during monitoring, but the overall estimate based on observation across various stretches puts the total at 366 - 231 in Rapti and 135 in Narayani. Last year, the two rivers together had 352 gharials.

This year’s assessment shows an increase in the Rapti but a decline in the Narayani. Thapa Magar stated that conservation efforts and rising community awareness have contributed to the growth. Gharial hatchlings raised at the Gharial Breeding Centre in Kasara are released annually into the rivers, supporting population recovery.

The breeding centre, established in 1978 to protect the critically endangered species, collects eggs from riverbanks, incubates them, and reintroduces juveniles into their natural habitat each year.

Ganesh Pant, chief conservation officer at the CNP  said the survey, carried out from December 6 to 14, aimed to update information on the rivers’ gharial population and habitat conditions. He confirmed that a dolphin was seen in the Golaghat area of the Narayani, calling it a positive indicator of biodiversity. Dolphins have been sighted intermittently in the same stretch in previous years.

Officials said continued collaboration among concerned agencies will remain key to ensuring sustainable gharial conservation and river-system protection.