VZCZCXRO9716
RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
DE RUEHNE #0097/01 0111101
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111101Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9969
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 1334
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 1541
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 2225
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHDC
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000097 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/PCI, OES/ETC, OES/ENV, AND SCA/INS 
STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS 
INTERIOR FOR FRED BAGLEY AND MINI NAGENDRAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV IN
SUBJECT:  MYSTERIOUS MASS MORTALITY OF INDIAN GHARIALS 
 
 
NEW DELHI 00000097  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U) This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 9. 
 
¶2.  (U) Summary:  Between 64 and 100 Gangetic Gharials, a critically 
endangered crocodilian species endemic to India, have been found 
dead in less than a month in the Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary located 
in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan states.  The cause of the deaths is 
currently a mystery as the carcasses of the recovered animals show 
no signs of trauma and autopsies have not revealed the presence of 
poisons or pollutants capable of causing death.  The Ministry of 
Environment and Forests has begun to address the issue although the 
scientific community and conservationists remain highly alarmed as 
estimates indicate there are no more than 200 breeding female 
gharials left in India.  End Summary. 
 
------------------- 
THE GHARIAL CRISIS 
------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) ESTHOff and ESTHFsn attended a press conference on January 
4, 2008 held by renowned wildlife filmmakers Naresh and Rajesh Bedi 
who won the green Oscar for their 1984 film on the gharials of 
India's Chambal River.  The Bedi brothers returned to the Chambal in 
early December 2007 to film the changes in the area over the last 23 
years.  They were shocked to come across 11 dead gharials and filmed 
the carcasses, some of which had been buried along the banks of the 
river.  The Bedi brothers made a passionate appeal to both state 
governments and the GOI's Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) 
asking that they work together to help find the cause of the die-off 
and resolve the crisis. 
 
¶4.  (U) Upon further investigation, the ESTH office learned that all 
of the dead gharials recovered to date were found along a 30 
kilometer stretch of the Chambal River located in Madhya Pradesh and 
Rajasthan.  Forest Department officials put the number of deaths at 
64 while other conservationists claim the figure may be closer to 
¶100.  None of the gharials recovered to date show signs of physical 
trauma and none were skinned, ruling out poachers working in the 
illegal skin trade.  Scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India 
(WII), Dehradun, and the Indian Veterinarian Research Institute, 
Bareilly, have visited the area but have not been able to identify 
the reason for the die-off.  Strangely, only sub-adults in the age 
group of 6 to 12 years have been affected and no other animal life, 
terrestrial or aquatic, has been impacted.  Autopsies performed on 
selected carcasses have revealed liver damage and the presence of 
lead but neither factor has proven to be the cause of death.  Water 
sample tests have also been inconclusive.  Poisoning and pollution 
have been ruled out as no other species have been found dead and 
there is no polluting industry in the region.   Most theories point 
towards disease and although India has a Gharial captive breeding 
program, all Gharial mortalities to date have been naturally bred 
animals. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) While most experts are focusing on the disease theory, 
B.C. Choudhury, senior faculty member at WII and the Crocodile 
Specialist Group Chair for the West Asia region, told ESTHFsn that 
he does not rule out the involvement of either the Fish Mafia or the 
Sand Mining Mafia, separate but similar groups involved in illegal 
fishing and sand mining.  Choudhury compares the die-off to the 
poaching disaster at the Sariska Tiger Reserve which some speculated 
was conducted at the behest of mining interests in an attempt to 
open the park to mining.  Choudhury reasons that a loss of the 
Gharial, the flagship species in the Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary, 
could possibly open the park up to both fishing and mining 
interests.  While Choudhury does not rule out disease and considers 
it a strong possibility, he notes the fact that because some gharial 
carcasses were found buried, there is merit in forensic tests to 
rule out the possibility of deliberate poisoning. 
 
-------------------- 
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE 
-------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) On January 7, 2008, the MoEF convened a meeting to discuss 
the way forward to solving the crisis.  In a conversation with 
Parikshit Gautam, Director, Freshwater and Wetlands Programs, WWF - 
India, the ESTH office learned the outcome of the January 7 meeting 
was the formation of a Crisis Management Group with WWF-India as the 
Chair.  Gautam criticized ministry officials for taking almost a 
month to respond to the crisis after it was first brought to their 
attention by Madhya Pradesh forest officials but said he was 
pleasantly surprised with the Ministry's willingness to accept WWF's 
help in solving the crisis.  He noted this marked a positive change 
in MoEF attitudes towards NGOs.  In addition, B.C. Choudhury 
commended the proactive approach of the Madhya Pradesh forest 
 
NEW DELHI 00000097  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
officials and called the Chief Conservator of Forest of the Chambal 
region Mr. Suhas Kumar, a "very sane person" and keen on finding a 
solution to the crisis. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND THE WAY FORWARD 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (U) The Madhya Pradesh Department of Forestry has made it clear 
to the MoEF that it believes international assistance is necessary 
to resolve the crisis.  B.C. Choudhury and Rom Whitaker, Chairman of 
the Gharial Conservation Alliance and Honorary Member, Steering 
Committee of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature 
and Natural Resources (IUCN) Crocodile Specialist Group, suggested 
approaching the US Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) Wildlife 
Disease Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin as well as the IUCN's 
Crocodile Specialist Vet Group.  They also mentioned enlisting Dr. 
Elliott Jacobson, who was associated with the India Crocodile 
Program in the 1970s and 80s.  However, according to Gautam, it 
appears the MoEF would prefer to try to solve the problem with 
Indian scientists although ministry officials did express a 
willingness to enlist international assistance if necessary. 
 
¶8.  (U) The MoEF has agreed to improve monitoring of the area and 
will arrange with various Indian laboratories to collect and analyze 
water and tissue samples.  Choudhury outlined additional steps he 
suggests should be taken including:  creating a network of reptile 
veterinarians focused on the crisis; designating an India based 
veterinarian as a crisis coordinator; obtaining guidance and 
direction from international crocodile veterinarians; and obtaining 
clearance to examine selected gharials for disease.  To date these 
steps have not been taken. 
 
-------------------------- 
COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST 
-------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Considering that scientists estimate the population of the 
Gangetic Gharial between 1200 and 1400 animals with no more than 200 
breeding females, Post is concerned there is not sufficient 
expertise available in India to resolve the crisis in time to avoid 
a substantial loss to the species.  Many conservationists compare 
the Gharial crisis to the Vulture die-offs in India that took nine 
years to resolve.  Using the government estimate of 64 deaths since 
early December, India is losing gharials at the rate of over two per 
day.  The Gharial is on the IUCN red list of critically endangered 
species and if the number is closer to 100, there may be 
insufficient time for India to save its gharials.  In order to 
protect bio-diversity and avoid species loss, Post requests the 
Department to assess the ability of the USG to provide technical 
assistance to the Government of India and if available, offer such 
assistance through official channels. 
 
MULFORD