Agra, Nov.23 : Officials and rangers of the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department have released 40 alligators into River Chambal, their natural habitat, to increase the number of endangered species of alligators.

These alligators were brought from their breeding centre at Lucknow.

These alligators were brought from Kukrail in Lucknow where they had been kept in favourable conditions under the surveillance of the Forest Rangers and veterinarians for proper breeding.

"These alligators have come from Kukrail in Lucknow. Till date, we have already released 80 alligators to their natural habitats. Presently, we have released 40 more. However, we will be releasing 120 alligators in the time to come. We have been saving these alligators since 1979 since these are endangered species," said Suresh Upadhyaya, Conservator of Forests, Agra Range.

According to the forest officials, they had started a drive to save this endangered species that has been successful. The number of alligators has increased over the recent years.

"We have attained success in controlling the declining graph of the crocodiles and alligators in recent years. The total number of alligators has reached 1,000 in all the three habitats in the State during the latest census conducted in February 2007 and we are happy about it," G. Sudhakar said

Special efforts were made for the breeding.

"We have been successful in controlling various illegal things since they were damaging the population of the alligators. We have stooped illegal mining and have been able to provide them with good environment for proper breeding," said G. Sudhakar, Divisional Forest Officer.

Meanwhile, the local residents have become familiar with the alligators.

"No, we actually face no problem or feel any kind of danger from them. It only happens if a person enters their (alligators) habitat area. The last time it happened was when a man was pulled by an alligators while he was bathing near the river and that happened due to the huge number of crocodiles and alligators in the river but otherwise we do not face nay problem," said Mevaram, a resident from one of the villages in the vicinity of River Chambal.

Various species of crocodiles and alligators are seriously endangered, from hunting and now largely from loss of habitat, particularly breeding sites.

Presently, the main habitat for crocodiles and alligators are the Rivers Chambal, Girwa, Rapti and Narayani in the orbit of central and northern India.

Although alligators have heavy bodies and slow metabolisms, they are capable of short bursts of speed, especially in very short lunges. Alligators' main prey are smaller animals that they can kill and eat with a single bite.

Alligators can kill larger prey by grabbing it and dragging it in the water to drown. Alligators consume food that cannot be eaten in one bite by allowing it to rot or by biting and then spinning or convulsing wildly until bite-size pieces are torn off.

An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae.

An alligator's lifespan is usually estimated in the range of 50 years or more. A specimen named Muja has resided in the Belgrade Zoo in Serbia since 1937, making it at least 70 years old. Another specimen, Cabulitis, in Riga Zoo, Latvia died in 2007 being more than 72 years old.

Alligators are native to only two countries: the United States and China.

In Florida alone there are estimated to be more than one million alligators. The United States is the only place where both alligators and crocodiles live side by side. (ANI)