Nepal, March 19 -- Among the gharial crocodiles reared in Chitwan National Park (CNP), 205 have been released into the Rapti River in the current fiscal year. Last fiscal year, the number of crocodiles released into the river was 133.

The Crocodile Breeding Centre has been in operation at Kasara, a part of CNP, since 1978 for the protection of gharials.

So far, a total of 2,280 animals have been reintroduced into various rivers: Narayani (421), Rapti (1,525), Kaligandaki (35), Saptakoshi (105), and Karnali (41), according to CNP information officer Abinash Thapa Magar. Similarly, they have been released into other rivers: Babai (110), Chaudhar River (25), and West Rapti in Banke (10).

Presently, the number of crocodiles at Kasara stand...