Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that Madhya Pradesh is taking important steps towards wildlife tourism. Wildlife tourism will get a new dimension from Saturday. Dr. Yadav will visit Chambal Sanctuary, review the arrangements of the Gharial Sanctuary of Chambal River, and take stock of the tourism facilities.

Chief Minister Yadav said that nature has given many blessings to Madhya Pradesh. Along with dense forests, Madhya Pradesh also has a diversity of trees and wildlife. Madhya Pradesh has a distinct identity due to its forests and wildlife. Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of animals, such as tigers, leopards, and crocodiles. Madhya Pradesh is the only state to restore the Cheetah.

Chief Minister Yadav said that the maximum number of Gharials (alligators) are found in the Chambal river, not only in the country but in the entire world. He said that there are about three thousand gharials in the world, out of which 85 percent are in the Chambal river. The counting of gharials started about four decades ago, due to which information about such a large number of gharials in Chambal came to light. In January and February, gharials come out of the water due to favorable temperature and at that time the counting of gharials and crocodiles is done easily.

Chief Minister Yadav said that the National Chambal Sanctuary is also known as the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary. It is famous among tourists as Chambal Boat Safari. It is a major conservation project with the joint efforts of three states Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. In Madhya Pradesh, it was recognized as a wildlife sanctuary in 1978. The main objective of the Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary is to conserve the endangered gharial, red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Gangetic dolphin.

Chief Minister Yadav said that this sanctuary is spread over about five and a half square kilometers. This land is full of hills and sandy beaches of chambal river just like sandy sea beaches and is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Its headquarters is in Morena.

The habitat of gharials and Gangetic dolphins has been declared an ecologically sensitive area. Gharials, red-crowned turtles, and dolphins are found here. Other animals that are in the (Endanzered) category include crocodiles, smooth-coated otters, striped hyenas, and Indian wolves, which are included in Schedule 1 of the conservation list.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that eight out of 26 rare species of the turtle family are found in the Chambal River. These include Indian narrow-headed soft-shell turtle, three-striped roof turtle, and crowned river turtle, which are the identity of this place.

Winter is the best time to see gharials

The best time to visit the gharial sanctuary in Chambal is from October to June as winter is considered the best time to see gharials and visit this area.

Many nature viewing activities are conducted in the National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary which includes photography of gharials, dolphins, other reptiles, water bodies, and beautiful landscapes on boat rides. Walking on the trails along the valleys and rivers here allows one to see nature closely. Chambal river is about a thousand kilometers long. Tourists can enjoy the Chambal Gharial Safari Sanctuary by using the accommodation facility in the nearby towns of the said area.