Gharials

Gharials Latest News

Recently, 31 gharial hatchlings have been released in the Bagaha area along the Gandak River in Bihar.

About Gharials

• It is a freshwater crocodile belonging to the Crocodylia Order and Crocodylidae Family.
• The name ‘gharial’ comes from the Hindi word ghara, meaning pot or vessel, referring to the bulbous snout tip of adult males, which resembles an inverted pot.
• Habitat Preference: Gharials inhabit deep, clear, freshwater rivers with sandy banks, primarily within Himalayan river systems.
• Distribution: It is mainly found in the rivers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.
• Their major population occurs in three tributaries of the Ganga River: the Chambal (Hosts the largest wild population) and Girwa Rivers in India and the Rapti-Naryani River in Nepal.
• The Gharial reserves of India are located in three States: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
• Diet: Predominantly piscivorous, gharials play a key role in regulating fish diversity and maintaining riverine ecological balance.

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Features of Gharials

• It is one of the largest crocodilians.
• They have thick skin covered with smooth epidermal scales that do not overlap.
• The snout of the gharial is uniquely the thinnest and most elongated among all the crocodilians.
• In addition, the adult males sport a large bulb at the tip of their snout, called the ‘ghara’.
• It is also the most aquatic of all crocodilians, for it never moves far from the water. Individuals typically only leave the water to bask and nest on sandbanks.
• Reproduction: They mate during November–January and lay eggs March–May.

Conservation Status of  Gharials

• IUCN Red List: Critically endangered
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I.

Source: IT