Biodiversity
Gharial
Gavialis gangeticus
A highly specialised, fish-eating crocodilian recognised by its long, narrow snout. The gharial is closely associated with healthy, free-flowing river systems.
Habitat
Deep river channels with sandbanks used for basking and nesting.
Diet
Almost exclusively fish, captured with rapid sideways snaps of its narrow jaws.
Behaviour
Spends most of its time in water, basking on exposed sandbanks; adults are generally not aggressive toward humans.
Conservation Status
Critically Endangered
Threats
- Loss of sandbank nesting habitat
- River pollution
- Entanglement in fishing gear
- Sand mining and river-flow alteration
Conservation Importance
A specialised river crocodilian whose presence signals a functioning, healthy river system with adequate fish populations and undisturbed sandbanks.
Quick Facts
- Scientific name Gavialis gangeticus
- Category Reptiles