For a species classified as critically endangered, Gavialis gangeticus, or the gharial, has had it good over the years at Patna zoo. From just 11 in 2002, there are now over 130 gharials in the zoo, officially called the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park. And the number is only set to grow. Wildlife enthusiasts would find in this a reason for cheer but officials see this as a problem of plenty. The solution they have come up with is to release them from captivity into the river Gandak of Bihar. But this has raised the hackles of conservationists who fear that gharials born and bred in captivity may not be able to survive in the wild. Rakesh Kumar, the director of the Patna zoo, explains that the institution has space for only 45 reptiles. Today, the two existing enclosures house 130 in total. The first enclosure has 11 big adults, including two 14 ft-long males. Male gharials can often reach 18 to 20 feet and are identified by the bulbous growth on the tip of their snouts.The second enclosure has over a 100 young gharials.