| National Chambal Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
| National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary | |
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
 National Chambal Sanctuary nearDhaulpur | |
  Location in Madhya Pradesh, India Show map of Madhya Pradesh National Chambal Sanctuary (India) Show map of India | |
| Location | Madhya Pradesh,India |
| Nearest city | Morena 30 km (19 mi),Agra 70 km (43 mi),Etawah 50 km (31 mi) |
| Coordinates | 26°46′06″N78°38′40″E / 26.7681981°N 78.6445791°E /26.7681981; 78.6445791 |
| Established | 1979 |
| Governing body | Uttar Pradesh Forest Department[1] |
| Website | https://nationalchambalsanctuary.in/ |
National Chambal Sanctuary, also called theNational Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, is a 5,400 km2 (2,100 sq mi) tri-stateprotected area in northern India for the protection of theCritically Endangeredgharial, thered-crowned roof turtle and theEndangeredGanges river dolphin. Located on theChambal River near thetripoint ofRajasthan,Madhya Pradesh andUttar Pradesh, it was first declared in Madhya Pradesh in 1978, and now constitutes a long narrow eco-reserve co-administered by the three states. Within the sanctuary, the pristineChambal River cuts through mazes of ravines and hills with many sandy beaches.[citation needed]
It is part of theKhathiar-Gir dry deciduous forestsecoregion.[2]
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 theWildlife 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 - theMadhya 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.[3]
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 atMorena, Madhya Pradesh.
Thecritically endangeredgharial and thered-crowned roof turtle live here, and together with the endangeredGanges river dolphin are thekeystone species of the sanctuary. Other largethreatened inhabitants of the sanctuary includemugger crocodile,smooth-coated otter,striped hyena andIndian wolf. Chambal supports 8 of the 26 rareturtle species found in India, includingIndian narrow-headed softshell turtle,three-striped roof turtle andcrowned river turtle. Other reptiles who live here are:Indian flapshell turtle,soft shell turtle,Indian roofed turtle,Indian tent turtle andmonitor lizard.[4]
Mammals of less concern which live here include:rhesus macaque,Hanuman langur,golden jackal,Bengal fox,common palm civet,small Asian mongoose,Indian grey mongoose,jungle cat,wild boar,sambar,nilgai,blackbuck,Indian gazelle,northern palm squirrel,Indian crested porcupine,Indian hare,Indian flying fox andIndian long-eared hedgehog.[4]
The National Chambal Sanctuary is listed as animportant bird area (IBA) IN122.[5] and is a proposedRamsar site. At least 320 species of resident and migratory birds inhabit the sanctuary.Migratory birds fromSiberia form part of its richavianfauna.[1]Vulnerable bird species here include theIndian skimmer,[6]sarus crane,Pallas's fish eagle andIndian courser. Thepallid harrier andlesser flamingo arenear threatened. Winter visitors includeblack-bellied tern,red-crested pochard,ferruginous pochard andbar-headed goose. Other species includegreat thick-knee,greater flamingo,darter, andbrown boobook.[1]
Common plants in the sanctuary include khair (Acacia catechu), palash (Butea monosperma), Indian elm tree (Holoptelea integrifolia), Indian plum (Ziziphus mauritiana) and grassy patches on both sides of the river.[citation needed]
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 atMorena, Madhya Pradesh.
Parts of the sanctuary are threatened by extensiveillegal sand mining, which is endangering the fragilelotic ecosystem critical for Gharial breeding.
On 27 December 2010, the Minister for Environment and Forests,Jairam Ramesh, during a visit to theMadras Crocodile Bank, announced the formation of aNational 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 byherpetologist Rom Whitaker.[7][8]
There are many nature watching opportunities available for visitors to the National Chambal Sanctuary. The best opportunities for sighting and photography of gharial and dolphins can be had by hiring a boat with a driver and guide, available at several points along the river. A boat excursion will also offer many viewpoints for photography of water and shore birds and landscapes. Walking trails in the ravines and along the river offer opportunities for close observation of the wide variety of plants and animals in the sanctuary.[1]
There are public vehicle entry points to Chambal Sanctuary atPinahat,Nandagon Ghat,Sehson andBharch. Boating and visiting arrangements can be made with the help of the office of the Conservator of Forests, at Kota.[9]
Visitors may exploreAter Fort, a beautiful but dilapidated landmark and historical site near Ater town, 35 km fromBhind. The fort was built by theBhadauria kingsBadan Singh,Maha Singh andBakhat 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 atBah andChakkar Nagar and Public Works Department inspection bungalows at Bah andPinahat. There are several commercial hotels and eco lodges atAgra,Etawah and Bah.[1] The nearest airport is at Agra. The nearest railway station is at Agra. Agra andMathura 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) andKanha National Park (Jabalpur) are all well serviced by the rail network from Agra.[9]