10 Animals Found In The Chambal River

The Chambal River is simply incredible. There is no river like it in terms of mystery, history, and biodiversity. The river, said to be cursed by Queen Draupadi and haunted by notorious dacoits, is today home to many species of highly threatened wildlife. Ten of these have been mentioned below.

Gharial

Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) male, Chambal River, UP, India. Image credit: Charles J. Sharp via Wikimedia Commons.

Of course, the world's most threatened crocodilian is the flagship species of the Chambal. The river is home to over 80% of the population of this species. The gharial is critically endangered and endemic to the Indian subcontinent. It has been wiped out from more than 90% of its historical range as it is susceptible to water quality changes and riverine ecosystem disturbances. Hence, it is a good indicator species for detecting changes in the health of the aquatic ecosystem it inhabits. Gharials are primarily fish-eating reptiles and are hardly known to attack people. Males of this species possess an earthen pot-like (called 'ghara' in the local language) protrusion at the tip of their snouts, giving the species its name, "gharial."

Indian Skimmer

Indian skimmers skimming through the waters in search of food. Image credit: The Belurs via Flickr.com.

The Indian skimmer, an endangered bird that now breeds only in India, has Chambal as its last stronghold. The bird is beautiful in appearance with a striking orange bill with yellow tips. The lower mandible is longer than the upper one and is used to skim fish from the water while flying close to the water's surface. This bird lays eggs in scraped-out nests in the sand in sand bars of the Chambal River. These nests are highly vulnerable to changes in water level. Hence, when dams along the Chambal suddenly release water, it might drown the nests of these skimmers. If the water level is too low due to dry and hot weather, such sand bars can get connected to the bank, allowing predators, cattle, and people to access the nesting area, leading to the death of chicks due to predation or trampling of the nests. Illegal sand mining also threatens the riverine ecosystem on which these birds depend.

Mugger

A mugger crocodile walking towards the Chambal River. Image credit: Arjun Bharioke via Wikimedia Commons.

The mugger crocodile, a vulnerable species, also thrives in the Chambal River. It is a mid-sized, broad-snouted crocodilian found in freshwater systems like rivers and lakes. It is widely distributed across freshwater ecosystems in India and is sometimes responsible for attacks on humans. Though more resilient than the gharials, this species is also susceptible to disturbances in the ecosystem. 

Red-crowned Roofed Turtle

An adult male red-crowned roof turtle in the National Chambal Sanctuary. Image credit: Hari arcw via Wikimedia Commons.

This critically endangered species, endemic to South Asia, also relies on the Chambal River for its survival. During the breeding season, males of this species get a red, blue, and yellow colouration on their heads. This turtle is threatened by river damming, pollution, death as a result of bycatch in fishing nets, poaching for eggs and meat, sand mining, and more.

Black-bellied Tern

Black-bellied tern at the National Chambal Sanctuary in Morena, Madhya Pradesh. Image credit: Godbolemandar via Wikimedia Commons.

A beautiful bird, this species is identified by its black belly and deeply forked tail. It is found near major rivers of the Indian subcontinent, with the Chambal being a significant breeding ground. Like the Indian skimmer, this bird nests on the sand and faces similar threats. 

Ganges River Dolphin

A Ganges river dolphin. Image credit: Munshi Abul Barakat via Wikimedia Commons.

Another fast-disappearing riverine species, the Ganges river dolphin, is also found in the Chambal River. This endangered species is the "National Aquatic Animal" of India. The species is heavily threatened by habitat fragmentation, bycatch fishing deaths, poaching, river pollution, disturbance caused by navigation, and more.

Smooth-coated Otter

Smooth-coated otters. Image credit: Mprasannak via Wikimedia Commons.

Their mischievous acts are a pleasure to watch along the river's banks. These otters are intelligent, social animals that hunt, groom, and play along the Chambal. The vulnerable species is threatened by pollution, habitat loss, poaching and illegal wildlife trade.

Sarus Crane

Sarus crane pair. Image credit: Ad031259 via Wikimedia Commons.

Regarded as symbols of marital bliss, the sarus cranes are much loved and revered. They form long-lasting mating pairs, with one partner known to mourn the death of the other. These birds are also elegant in appearance and are the tallest among the flying birds. They have a greyish body with a deep red patch covering their neck and head. The species is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The bird is found in the wetlands along the Chambal River. 

Three-striped Roofed Turtle

Three-striped roofed turtle in the National Chambal Sanctuary. Image credit: Hari arcw via Wikimedia Commons.

Like the red-crowned roofed turtle, this critically endangered species finds its last hope in the Chambal. In the river, the species' distribution is now highly limited to only around a 100 km stretch. In 2018, 500 nests of the species were detected in the Chambal.

Indian Wolf

An Indian wolf in the wilderness. Image credit: Dhaval Vargiya via Wikimedia Commons.

In 2024, good news came in when the Indian wolf was spotted on a camera trap in the National Chambal Sanctuary after a gap of over two decades! It was spotted at the Etawah-Agra border. An endangered species, the Indian wolf had become rarer to spot over time in the country due to a severe decline in numbers. Hope its population in Chambal stabilises and thrives in the scrub jungles and ravines along the river's banks.