50 Years of Crocodile Conservation Project

Current Context : On 17 June  2025, India celebrated the 50^th anniversary of its Crocodile Conservation Project, launched on 1  April  1975 to reverse crocodilian decline through habitat protection and captive breeding.

 About Crocodile Conservation Project

• Launch & Support: Based on H.  Bustard’s 1974 recommendations; technical and financial aid from UNDP/FAO.
• Objectives:
  • Protect wild habitats and endemic crocodilian species (mugger, gharial, saltwater).
  • Breed in captivity and reintroduce juveniles into rivers.
• Key Achievements:
  • Mugger crocodile: Population rebounded to ~ 8,000–10,000 across Ganga basin.
  • Saltwater crocodile: ~ 2,500 individuals, concentrated in Bhitarkanika (Odisha), Sundarbans, Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
  • Gharial: India hosts ~ 80 percent of global wild population; 400+ nests annually in Chambal & other sanctuaries.
• Ongoing Efforts:
  • New Gharial Conservation Project (2025) across Ganges, Brahmaputra, Indus, and Mahanadi.
  • Madras Crocodile Bank supports ex-situ breeding and research.