Gharial

Scientific Classification

KINGDOM: Animalia

PHYLUM: Chordata

CLASS: Reptilia

ORDER: Crocodilia

FAMILY: Gavialidae

GENUS: Gavialis

SPECIES: G. gangeticus

Conservation Status

A gharial sunbathing on the banks of chambal river during a boat cruiseA gharial sunbathing on the banks of chambal river during a boat cruise

Indian gharial sun bathing on the banks of chambal river

The gharial got its name from the large growth that males develop on their snout once they are ten years old. This growth resembles pots found in India named after the Hindu word “ghara”, which translates to round earthenware pot.

The gharial is currently one of the longest crocodiles measuring anywhere from 11 to 20 feet long depending on the age and gender and weighing up to about 500 pounds.

These crocodiles have olive-colored backs with yellow undersides, which helps camouflage in the water. Gharials have poorly developed legs that make it virtually impossible to carry their full weight on land. Therefore, they use their legs to push them forward on land or glide in the water.

Gharials, also called gavials, are crocodiles found in the fast-flowing rivers with high sandbanks of India. They used to be much more plentiful in almost every river system in India but hunting and deforestation have secluded the gharial to the north.

Gharials have that iconic thin snout because it helps them dash at prey with little water resistance. They will herd fish towards the shore, stun fish with their strong jaws, and then swallow them whole. Adult gharial diets include fish, crustaceans, frogs, and other water creatures. Young gharials eat smaller prey such as tadpoles and insects and are seen jerking their heads back and forth to guide prey into their gullets. To aid in digestion, gharials will also swallow rocks after eating.

Mating season for gharials is December to January. Male gharials will use the bulbous mound on their snout to make a buzzing noise letting surrounding females know they’re interested. After mating, female gharials will dig a hole and lay up to 95 eggs! She buries and guards the eggs to protect them from predators like jackals or mongooses. Three months later, the hatchlings will produce small cries to alert the mother that they are ready to hatch, and she will dig them up and help guide them to the water. Young gharials will stay with their mother for up to a few months before venturing out on their own.

Gharials are solitary creatures and rarely leave the water except to bask in the sun or lay eggs. Because they don’t frequent land, gharials pose little threat to humans. Their slender jaws make it difficult to take large prey down and there have only been a handful of reports of gharials attacking people. In most cases, it involved a protective mother or an agitated gharial, and none were fatal.