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Home > Gharials |
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Photo : Nick Baker |
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| Overview |
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The Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a unique species of crocodilian, characterized by its long, thin snout and the bulbous growth at the end of
its snout. Though millions of years ago there were several similar species, today the Gharial is the last remaining species of this ancient line, the last surviving species of the family Gavialidae.
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.
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Photo : Saravana Kumar |
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