News Context: The first-ever comprehensive survey of the entire Ganga River Basin (released Jan 2026) recorded 3,037 gharials across 22 surveyed rivers.
- Strongholds vs. Sinks: * Chambal River: Remains the global capital, hosting 2,097 individuals (nearly 70%).
- Ghaghara & Girwa: Show promise but act as "sink populations" (sustained by migration rather than local breeding).
- Key Challenges: Despite the numbers, 92% of the surveyed river stretches were found unsuitable due to illegal sand mining, discarded fishing nets (causing drowning), and altered river flows.
- Wholistic Insight: The survey emphasizes that simply "restocking" (releasing captive-bred gharials) isn't enough. Without protecting the Sandbars (needed for nesting and basking), the species remains "critically endangered" despite the population hit of 3,000.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
