Chitwan, May 29 -- Bed Bahadur Khadka, a passionate conservationist who dedicated nearly two decades of his life to protecting the critically endangered gharial crocodile, passed away on Monday after a long battle with brain cancer. He was 61. He leaves behind a legacy interwoven with Nepal's gharial conservation efforts.

Khadka worked in Chitwan National Park as an assistant conservation officer, spending most of his professional life not in an office, but along the banks of the Rapti and Narayani rivers-the habitats of the unique reptile species. He was deeply committed to the care and protection of this reptile species, known for its long, narrow snout and diet consisting solely of fish. Gharials require pristine, flowing water to sur...