National Chambal Sanctuary

National Chambal Sanctuary National Chambal Sanctuary National Chambal (Gharial) Wildlife Sanctuary
Wildlife Sanctuary
Established	1979
Website	http://www.mpforest.org/chambal.html

National Chambal Sanctuary, also called the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, is a Template:Km2 to mi2 protected area for critically endangered Gharial Crocodiles and endangered Ganges River Dolphin near Etawah in Uttar Pradesh, North India. It was declared in 1979 and constitutes a long narrow tri-state eco-reserve co-administered by the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The pristine Chambal river cuts mazes of ravines and hills and leaves many sandy beaches throughout the Template:Km to mi long sanctuary.

Geography

Chambal river below Kota

The Template:Km2 to mi2 National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary is located along approximately Template:Km to mi of the Chambal River and its ravines and varies between Template:Km to mi to Template:Km to mi wide along the river. It lies centered at 26°40′25″N 78°57′0″E. It consists of the large arc described by the Chambal river between Jawahar Sagar Dam at 25°2′14″N 75°40′41″E in Rajasthan and the Chambal-Yamuna rivers confluence at 26°29′38″N 79°14′58″E in Uttar Pradesh.

Along this arc, two stretches of the Chambal river are protected as the National Chambal Sanctuary. The upper sector centered at 25°6′25″N 75°45′10″E, extends about Template:Km to mi from Jawahar Sagar Dam to Kota Barrage, and the lower sector, below a Template:Km to mi gap at Kota city, extends about Template:Km to mi from Keshoraipatan in Rajasthan to the Chambal-Yamuna rivers confluence near Bhareh town, Eatwah district (formerly Auraiya district), Uttar Pradesh. .

History

The epic Sanskrit narrative the Mahabharata, refers to the Chambal river as the Charmanyavati : originating from the blood of thousands of cows sacrificed by the Aryan King Rantideva.

"So large was the number of animals sacrificed in the Agnihotra of that king that the secretions flowing from his kitchen from the heaps of skins deposited there caused a veritable river which from this circumstance, came to be called the Charmanwati. "

Charmanwati was the southern boundary of Panchala Kingdom. King Drupada ruled the southern Panchalas up to the bank of the Charmanwati river (1:140).

Draupadi humiliated
Painting by Raja Ravi Varma

In the Mahabharata, the Chambal area was a part of Shakuni’s kingdom. The infamous dice game whereby Shakuni won the kingdom of the Pandavas' for his nephew Duryodhana was played hereabouts. After the attempted disrobing of Draupadi (the daughter of Drupada) she cursed any one who would drink the water of the Charmanwati river. The legends of its curse by Draupadi and it's bloody ‘unholy’ origins due to King Drupada have helped the Chambal to survive unpolluted by man, and its many animal inhabitants to thrive relatively untouched. The Chambal remains one of India’s most pristine rivers.

In modern times, due to the old legends and the hostile terrain, the labyrinthian ravines along the river were hiding places to gangs of bandits led by colourful figures like Man Singh and Phoolan Devi. The last notable dacoit, Nirbhay Gujjar was killed in 2005. Today a tourist lodge and other facilities promote eco-tourism here.

Administrative approval of the Government of India for the establishment of the National Chambal Sanctuary was conveyed in Order No. 17-74/77-FRY (WL) dated 30 September 1978. The Sanctuary has sanctuary status declared under Section 18(1) of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Since such a declaration is carried out by individual states for territory falling within their jurisdiction, there are three separate notifications covering the National Chambal Sanctuary - the Madhya Pradesh portion was gazetted in the Government of Madhya Pradesh Notice No. F.15/5/77-10(2) dated 20 December 1978, the Uttar Pradesh portion was gazetted in the Government of Uttar Pradesh Notice No. 7835/XIV-3-103-78 dated 29 January 1979 and the Rajasthan portion was gazetted in the Government of Rajasthan Notice No.F.11(12)Rev.8/78 dated 7 December 1979 .

The sanctuary is protected under India's Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The sanctuary is administered by the Department of Forest under the Project Officer with headquarters at Morena, Madhya Pradesh.

Wildlife

The Gharial crocodile and the Ganges River Dolphin are the keystone species of the sanctuary. Other large threatened inhabitants of the sanctuary include Muggar crocodile, Smooth-coated Otter, Striped Hyaena and Indian Wolf. Chambal supports 8 of the 26 rare turtle species found in India, including Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle, Red-crowned roof turtle, Three-striped roof turtle and Crowned river turtle. Other reptiles who live here are: Indian flapshell turtle, Soft Shell turtle, Indian roofed turtle, Indian tent turtle and Monitor lizard.

Mammals of less concern who live here include: Rhesus Macaque, Hanuman Langur, Golden Jackal, Bengal Fox, Common Palm Civet, Indian Small Mongoose, Indian Grey Mongoose, Jungle cat, Wild Boar, Sambar,Nilgai, Blackbuck, Indian Gazelle (Chinkara), Northern Palm Squirrel, Porcupine, Indian Hare, Indian Flying Fox and Hedgehog.

An Indian skimmer on the Chambal river

The National Chambal Sanctuary is listed as an important bird area (IBA) IN122 and is a proposed Ramsar site. At least 320 species of resident and migratory birds inhabit the sanctuary. Migratory birds from Siberia form part of its rich avian fauna. Vulnerable bird species here include the Indian skimmer , Sarus Crane, Pallas's Fish Eagle and Indian Courser. The Pallid Harrierand Lesser Flamingos here are near threatened. Winter visitors include Black-bellied Terns, Red-crested Pochard and Ferruginous Pochard and Bar-headed Goose. Other species include Great Thick-knee, Greater Flamingos, Darters, and Brown Hawk Owl.

Common plants in the sanctuary include Khair (Mimosa catechu Acacia catechu), Palash (Flame of the Forest Butea monosperma), Churel (Indian Elm Tree Holoptelia integrifolia), Ber (Indian Plum Ziziphus mauritiana) and Grassy patches on both sides of the river.

Conservation management

The sanctuary is protected under India's Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The sanctuary is administered by the Department of Forest under the Project Officer with headquarter at Morena, Madhya Pradesh.

Parts of the sanctuary are threatened by extensive illegal sand mining, which is endangering the fragile lotic ecosystem critical for Gharial breeding.

Gharial and Turtles

On December 27, 2010, the Minister for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh, during a visit to the Madras Crocodile Bank, announced the formation of a National Tri-State Chambal Sanctuary Management and Coordination Committee for gharial conservation on 1,600 km² (620 sq mi) of the National Chambal Sanctuary. The Committee members will comprise representatives of three states' Water Resources Ministries, states' Departments of Irrigation and Power, Wildlife Institute of India, Madras Crocodile Bank, the Gharial Conservation Alliance, Development Alternatives,Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Worldwide Fund for Nature and the Divisional Forest officers of the three states. The Committee will plan strategies for protection of gharials and their habitat. It will conduct further research on the species and its ecology and evaluate the related socio-economic elements of dependent riparian communities. Funding for this new initiative will be mobilized as a sub-scheme of the ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats’ in the amount of Rs. 50 to 80 million (USD 1 million to 1.7 million) each year for five years. This project has long been advocated by herpetologist Rom Whitaker.

Visitor activities

There are public vehicle entry points to Chambal Sanctuary at Pinahat, Nandagon Ghat, Sehson and Bharch. Boating and visiting arrangements can be made with the help of the Wildlife Conservator Office, at Kota.

Visitors may explore Ater Fort, a beautiful but dilapidated landmark and historical site near Ater town, 35 km from Bhind. The fort was built by the Bhadauria kings Badan Singh, Maha Singh and Bakhat Singh in 1664-1698. The fort is situated on the banks of the Chambal River and can be reached by bus, jeep or boat .

There are Forest Rest Houses at Bah and Chakkar Nagar and Public Works Department Inspection Bungalows at Bah and Pinahat. There are several commercial hotels and Eco Lodges at Agra, Etawah and Bah. The nearest airport is at Agra. The nearest railway station is at Agra. Agra and Mathura are major rail junctions with a number of trains from all over the country. Bharatpur, Ranthambhor National Park (with change at Bharatpur), Bandhavgarh National Park (Katni, Umaria) and Kanha National Park (Jabalpur) are all well serviced by the rail network from Agra.

External links

• Indian Wildlife (IIFM)
• Wildlife Trust of india
• Wildlife Chambal Sanctuary
• India Florist