Across two breeding ponds deep inside Bardiya National Park, dozens of tiny gharial hatchlings splash in the water, snap at small fish and bask on sandy banks in the afternoon sun.

For researchers, park wardens and visitors, watching the young reptiles grow offers a rare glimpse of a species fighting for survival.

At six weeks old, 96 critically endangered gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) hatchlings are currently being reared at the park’s specialised gharial breeding centre. The figure is the highest recorded at the facility in nearly a decade, offering fresh hope to wildlife authorities working to save the river-dependent species from extinction.

According to park records, three resident female gharials successfully nested at the centre this year, laying 116 eggs. Of those, 96 hatched successfully, while the rest were unviable.

The latest figure is higher than in recent years. The centre produced 93 hatchlings last year, 70 of which are still thriving. In 2024, 32 of 50 hatchlings survived, while in 2023, 64 of 85 survived their initial months.

“The gharial is just as rare globally as the Bengal tiger,” said conservationist Ram Shahi, highlighting the significance of protecting each individual.

The latest hatchlings emerged from their eggs in early June. Park wardens will care for them at the centre for about five years, until they are strong enough to survive in the wild. They will then be released into regional river systems, including the Karnali and Babai.

Captive rearing significantly improves their chances of survival. Around 60 percent of gharials raised in captivity survive until release, while only one to two percent of those born in the wild reach adulthood, largely because of predators and human pressures.

Gharials are highly specialised river reptiles. They depend on clean, fast-flowing rivers and feed almost entirely on fish. Unlike mugger crocodiles, which can be aggressive and opportunistic, gharials have long, needle-like snouts and are harmless to humans. Their specialised habitat needs, however, make them particularly vulnerable to environmental change.

Their threats extend beyond the breeding centre. River pollution, industrial encroachment, destruction of natural sandbanks and illegal fishing are putting pressure on wild populations. Fishing nets cast in core river areas can also trap and drown gharials.

Ajit Tumbahangphe of the National Trust for Nature Conservation in Bardiya said poaching and human interference continued to disrupt their habitat.

“Because of their long, delicate snouts, gharials frequently get entangled and drown in fishing nets. Hunters and fishermen also step on or intentionally destroy their nesting eggs, while poaching remains an ongoing hazard,” he said. “If we properly manage their natural food supply, secure their aquatic habitats and regulate human activity in the rivers, expanding their population becomes much more manageable.”

Caring for the hatchlings requires daily attention. Two technical staff members are assigned exclusively to the 96 young gharials. They require 1.5 to 2 kilograms of small fish every day, forcing caretakers to regularly collect fish from nearby rivers and streams.

The centre has two mature males and nine females as its breeding stock. Mothers and hatchlings are separated three to four days after hatching to prevent accidental injury or stress.

With this year’s additions, the Bardiya breeding centre now houses 277 gharials of different ages and sizes.

For conservationists, the species’ significance goes beyond its own survival.

Healthy gharial populations indicate clean, functioning river ecosystems, making their protection important not only for biodiversity but also for the ecological health of Nepal’s major river basins.