The state forest department has for the first time successfully bred 42 hatchlings of gharials (fish-eating crocodiles) by preserving the eggs laid by the species in an artificial environment at the mini zoo at Rasikbeel in Cooch Behar district.

“In May-end, 22 hatchlings were born from the eggs and were kept under observation in an appropriate environment. The number has risen to 42 now. This is the first time that offspring of the species were born here in Rasikbeel,” said a senior forest officer of Cooch Behar forest division.

There are 11 adult gharials in an enclosure of the mini zoo, of which nine are female and two are male.

“The hatchlings would be released in the enclosure in due course. Altogether, 66 eggs were preserved in a hatching room and some of these are still under observation. This is probably the first time in Bengal that gharial hatchlings have been bred in an artificial environment,” said a source at the mini zoo.

The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a critically endangered species. In Rasikbeel, gharials have been staying for some years. But every year, the eggs that female gharials laid would decompose in inclement weather.

This made the foresters take up a new initiative. They spoke with experts and created a hatching room in the mini zoo where eggs were kept on sand beds.

“We ensured that suitable temperature and relative humidity were maintained in the room round the clock. This helped the eggs mature and eventually, hatchlings started arriving. It is indeed an achievement and can contribute to the conservation of gharials,” said the senior forester.

In the coming years, the department intends to continue the initiative to increase the population of gharials, he added.

Located on the outskirts of Cooch Behar town, the mini zoo is spread over 20.17 hectares. Gharials apart, it has two female leopards, around 120 spotted deer, two Burmese pythons, a fishing cat and three peacocks.

“We hope once the hatchlings are released, the flow of visitors will go up at the mini zoo,” said the forester.

Siliguri regional unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence burns over 18,000 kilos of seized narcotics

Picture by Passang Yolmo

The Siliguri regional unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) burnt over 18,000 kilos of seized narcotics at a garbage incinerator unit in Fulbari on the outskirts of Siliguri on Wednesday.

The initiative was taken to observe “Drug Destruction Day” announced on occasion of the 75th year of India’s independence by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

DRI sources said that 18,171 kilos of cannabis and 50 kilos of hashish, a derivative of cannabis, were destroyed at the unit.

Bireswar Banerjee