Bardiya, Aug. 15 -- The Crocodile Breeding Centre in Bardiya National Park is bustling with life. Ninety-three baby gharials, barely two months old, are turning the facility's ponds into a lively spectacle. Globally listed as critically endangered, the gharial is among the rarest crocodilian species in the world, and this year's hatchlings are being hailed as a major conservation success.

Inside two enclosures, some hatchlings splash about in the pond, others practise catching small fish, while a few bask lazily in the sun. Several huddle together in apparent affection, watched closely by caretakers.

"This year, five nests were laid. Of more than 120 eggs, 105 hatched successfully, though 15 hatchlings died. Now, 93 are thriving," said ...