National Chambal Sanctuary
Ecology, Wildlife, and Protected Status
The National Chambal Sanctuary is a 5,400 sq km tri-state protected area jointly administered by Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, stretching along the Chambal River. Established in 1979 (initially in MP; 1983 in Rajasthan; 1979 in UP), the sanctuary was created specifically to protect the critically endangered Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), which had been driven near-extinction by sand mining, poaching, and agricultural expansion. The Chambal is one of the cleanest rivers in north India — its relatively undisturbed upstream stretches support the largest surviving gharial population in the world, Gangetic river dolphins, red-crowned roof turtles, and over 300 bird species.
- World's largest gharial population: as of 2025, approximately 2,026 individuals in the Chambal.
- Gangetic river dolphin (Platanista gangetica): India's National Aquatic Animal; a critically endangered species found only in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system.
- The sanctuary is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; the Chambal is not dammed, giving it exceptional biodiversity value.
- Sand mining within or adjacent to sanctuaries is prohibited under the Wildlife Protection Act and Supreme Court orders.
- Project Crocodile, launched in 1975, was the precursor to the sanctuary's creation and played a key role in gharial recovery.
● Tracked since March 13, 2026 · last seen April 02, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes