22/05/2026
A lineage older than humanity now faces extinction.
On the International Day for Biological Diversity, we celebrate the extraordinary biodiversity that makes our living world so rich. India is home to an incredible natural heritage, and today we would like to shine a light on a fascinating but endangered species: the gharial.
🐊 This unique inhabitant of the Ganges river is instantly recognisable thanks to its long, narrow snout. While slow and clumsy on land, the gharial becomes an incredibly skilled fish hunter in the water, where it can reach speeds of up to 18 km/h. Adult males can even grow up to 6 metres long!
Yet this species is now critically endangered, and climate change is making the situation even more difficult. Like all crocodilians, the s*x of the gharial depends on the temperature of the sand where the eggs incubate. Rising temperatures are therefore disrupting the balance between males and females, creating an additional threat to the survival of the species.
🌍 France is also committed to biodiversity conservation in India through the support of the French Development Agency (AFD-Agence Française de Développement). In Rajasthan, AFD is supporting the Forest Department through the Rajasthan Forestry and Biodiversity Development Project (RFBDP), including the state’s first large-scale, science-based conservation programme at Palighat along the Chambal River.
In November 2025, 30 young gharials were released into the Chambal River, where they are now being carefully monitored.
📷 1, 3 and 5 credits: Anoop KR – IFS
📷 2 and 4 credits: Nidhi Batra – AFD
With: AFD - Agence Française de Développement, Rajasthan Forest Department, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust/Centre for Herpetology
