Gavialis gangeticus

Gharial Conservation Alliance, Photo : Saravana Kumar

The Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is one of the largest crocodilian species, with males attaining lengths of up to 7 m (23 ft). The species is characterized by its elongated, narrow snout, which varies in shape as the animal ages, becoming proportionally shorter and thicker over time. The jaws contain 106 to 110 razor-sharp interlocking teeth, well adapted for catching the slippery fish that make up the bulk of their diet. The bulbous growth on the tip of the male’s snout is called a “ghara”, after the Indian word “pot”, and is present in mature individuals.

The well-developed, laterally flattened tail and webbed rear feet provide tremendous maneuverability in the Gharial’s deep water habitat. On land, however, the Gharial can do little more than push itself forward and slide on its belly and it will only leave the water to bask or to nest on sandy beaches.

Females reach sexual maturity when they are around seven years old and about 2.4 to 2.7 m in total length. Males do not mature until they are about four m in length at 15 to 18 years of age. Males will guard a territory where several females live. Mating usually occurs during December and January and nesting from March to May, which corresponds to the dry, low water season. Females will excavate an egg chamber in the sandy banks above the flood line, depositing up to 60 eggs and carefully covering them over.

The eggs are the largest of any crocodilian species, weighing an average of 160 g. Eggs hatch after 83 to 94 days. Female Gharials, unlike many other crocodilians, will not assist the hatchlings to the water. However, they will guard the area around the nest for some time after the young hatch.

Gharials eat fish and live in deep, fast-moving rivers. They are the most aquatic of all crocodilians, spending most of their time in the water and coming out onto land only to lay eggs and bask in the sun. They were once found in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar but are now extinct from most of these areas. Gharials now exist in the wild in only a few small areas of India and Nepal. Recent surveys indicate there may be less than 200 mature breeding adults left in the wild. Gharials are listed as “Critically Endangered” in the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.

Distribution Map

Gharial Distribution. Illustration: John Binns