ENDANGERED AND EXPENSIVE: Feeding the reptiles, a kilo of meat/fish every other day, costs Nu 20,000 a month

20 December, 2009 - People visiting the Norgay crocodile breeding farm in the border town of Phuentsholing will now have to pay an entry fee to see the farm’s six alligators and 15 crocodiles.

The cost of the ticket is Nu 10 for Bhutanese, Nu 20 for Indians and Nu 50 for tourists beyond India.

“We hope to raise some funds to meet the farm’s feeding and maintenance expenses,” said the forest range officer in Phuentsholing. The ticketing system started on December 3.

The farm gets an average of 100 visitors on weekdays and more than 200 visitors during weekends. Most of the visitors are from the neighbouring Indian towns of Jaigaon and Siliguri.

“The alligators are fed a kilo of fish and the crocodiles are fed a kilo of beef every alternate day,” said Phurpa Dorji, who is the in-charge of the farm. “Feeding the reptiles costs more than Nu 20,000 a month.” The beef and fish are brought from Jaigaon.

The breeding farm was established in 1981 with two gharials or alligators (Gavalis Ganaticus) and two magars (Palustris Magar). The idea was to increase their numbers and release them into the their natural habitat. The species are native to countires like Bhutan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan. Twenty more crocodiles were added the following year.

Setting up the crocodile farm in Bhutan has been full of challenges. A plan to set a farm in Punakha failed. According to the caretaker, Ram Bahadur Chhetri, two crocodiles and three alligators perished in an electrical accident. Three more crocodiles became sick and died. Four alligators from the farm were successfully released into the Manas river.

The congestion in the farm was eased to an extent some years ago when its area was expanded from 0.2 acres to 0.6 acres. The farm now has three enclosures with pools and walkways built around the enclosures.

The farm was supposed to release a few grown up crocodiles into the Manas river, but the government has not yet given the go ahead.

Both species at the farm are endangered and, according to foresty officials, only found in captive now.

“We should greatly appreciate the entry fee system because it’s for the well being of a proper and sustainable animal preservation system,” said Ram B Chhetri. Some Indian visitors have said that they find the Nu 20 entry fee expensive.