Bhopal: After Tiger State, Madhya Pradesh has now got the status of Alligator State. This is due to the increasing number of alligators in the Chambal river sanctuary.

MP had again got the distinction of being the Tiger State with 526 tigers in its wildlife reserves, now accompanied with another big achievement in the conservation of aquatic life.

According to a report prepared by the Wildlife Trust of India, 1,255 alligators have been found in the Chambal river. Morena’s District Forest Divisional Officer PD Gervial told IANS, “The departmental census found more crocodiles than the Wildlife Trust of India’s report. The number of crocodiles according to departmental calculations is 1,876.”

There was a drastic reduction in the number of crocodiles across the world in the eighties with only 200 crocodiles left. At the time the total crocodiles found in India was 96, of which 46 were in Chambal. Therefore, the 435 km span of the Chambal river in Morena was declared the Chambal Alligator Sanctuary.

Gervial explained, “The rise in number of alligators in the Chambal is due to the Deori Eco Centre. The eggs of alligators are brought here and after hatching the alligators are reared here. At age 3, they are released into Chambal.

Every year 200 alligators are released into the river under the Grow and Release programme.” There are only a few countries in the world, including Nepal, Bangladesh and India, where alligators are found, stated Gervial.