Museum Reopening’s Full Success Hinges on Gharial’s Return, Says Council Leader

A council leader has stated that the reopening of a local art gallery will not be considered successful until a popular crocodile is once again exhibited. Museum & Art Swindon resumed operations in July following a four-year closure, prompting advocates to demand the reinstallation of a taxidermied gharial—a species of crocodile primarily native to India. Swindon Borough Council leader Jim Robbins indicated that the gharial, presently undergoing specialized restoration, is not expected to be back at the museum, located at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street, before May 2025. Mr. Robbins affirmed, “I won’t consider the museum and gallery a success until the gharial is back on display.” He further noted, “There is a reason that all the campaigners and people who wanted the museum and gallery opened again had pictures of crocodiles in their front windows.” Gharials are classified as a critically endangered species, with an estimated population of fewer than 1,500 individuals remaining in their natural habitat. The gharial housed in Swindon originated as a hunting trophy, and its initial documented owner was Maj Morton Hiles, who resided in India from 1916 to 1922. Subsequently, he lived in Warminster and donated the gharial to Warminster School before its transfer to the museum in 1931. The suitability of displaying the gharial was raised during discussions by the council’s overview and scrutiny committee regarding the museum’s reopening. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Dale Heenan, the committee’s chairman, highlighted its origin as a hunting trophy. In response, Councillor Marina Strinkovsky commented: “We have to acknowledge that it is not entirely unproblematic. And we want to display it with the proper context.” For updates, follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available for review.