Population: Latest research estimates that there may be less than 200 mature, breeding adults in the remainder of the species habitat range.
Size: 300 - 400 lbs. Males range from 9.8-19.6 ft in length and females range from 8.8-12.3 ft. Mature males have a bulbous growth ("ghara") at the end of their snouts.
Habitat: Deep, fast-flowing rivers in India and Nepal. Historically, gharials were also found in Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Diet: Carnivore. The Gharial's jaws are too thin and fragile to grab on to large prey. Adults feed on fish (primarily) and small crustaceans. Young gharial feed on insects, tadpoles, small fish and frogs.
Threats: Destruction of habitat and illegal fishing. In the past, gharials were also hunted for their skins and for medicinal purposes.
Interesting Fact: The Gharial is one of the largest of the crocodilian species, with a long, slender snout adept at catching fish by a quick whip of the head.
Links:
No comments:
Post a Comment