The number of gharials and mugger crocodiles in Babai River has reached 77, according to a recent census conducted by the Bardiya National Park.

The census put the number of gharials at 46 and mugger crocodiles at 31. It was for the first time that the park’s authority had used drone cameras to count the number of gharials and mugger crocodiles, said Ramesh Kumar Thapa, chief conservation officer at the park.

He added that the census was conducted along a 46 km stretch of the river. (PR)