| Kukrail Gharial Reserve | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Sauropsida |
| Order: | Crocodilia |
| Family: | Gavialidae |
| Genus: | Gavialis |
| Species: | G. gangeticus |
| Binomial name | |
| Gavialis gangeticus |
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Kukrail Reserve Forest (Hindi: कुकरैल जंगल, Urdu: ککریل جنگل) is located about 9 km from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
In Uttar Pradesh, crocodiles are found in the Ramganga, Suheli, Girwa and Chambal rivers. The female crocodile lays eggs in April by digging holes on the river banks. The young crocodiles hatch in a period of 60 to 80 days. The idea of setting up a breeding center for the endangered Crocodile species came after a study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, UNO in 1975 which estimated that there were only 300 crocodile left in the open rivers of Uttar Pradesh.
Center at Kukrail came up in the year 1978, which was funded by the Uttar Pradesh forest department in collaboration Ministry of Environment and Forests India. This effort marked the beginning of state government's efforts towards conservation of crocodiles at a time when only 300 of them had been left.
Apart from breeding crocodiles in the park, Crocodile eggs are also collected from the amganga, Suheli, Girwa and Chambal river banks. When young crocodiles come out of these eggs after artificial hatching at the center, they are fed and looked after till they become capable of defending themselves against other predators. The young crocodiles are then released into the waters of Chambal, River Sharda, Ghaghra, Girwa, Ramganga and Ganges rivers. This program has contributed to the rapid improvement in the gharial's status not only in Uttar Pradesh but also in the neighboring states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. In fact, the captive-breeding program for gharial is one of the two such successful wildlife conservation programs in the country.
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