The Gharial
(gha·ri·al)
This past
weekend I was in Florida to celebrate my father’s 90th birthday. In
the limo, on the way to my father’s home, we had a discussion with the driver
about crocodiles. The crocodile that lives in Southern Florida is called the American
Crocodile. Although, Floridians don’t care for the crocodile – it causes a lot
of trouble - it is a vulnerable species according to the IUCN*.
In honor of
my family and friends in Florida, and especially for Mrs. Long’s third grade
class, I have decided to discuss a relative of the American Crocodile, the
Gharial. Unlike the American Crocodile, this particular species of crocodile is
critically endangered. So let’s take a moment to learn about this
unusual animal, and let’s hope that it is not a ‘last chance to see it.’
The Gharial
is a reptile with a very long, narrow snout. The snout is filled with 106 to
110 interlocking razor sharp teeth. The
long snout of the Gharial has evolved to catch fish. Their snout is
‘specialized,’ and they are unable to catch any larger prey.
This
scaly fellow is one of the largest crocodiles on the planet. The only one
larger is the Salt Water Crocodile of Australia. Male Gharials can reach a
length of 20 to 23 feet, and weigh 350 to 550 pounds.
Although
the Gharial is not capable of killing a human, jewelry and human remains have
been found in their stomachs. More than likely, the items were from bodies,
which were sent into the river during a Hindu funeral ritual.
The legs
of the Gharial are very weak, and they have a difficult time moving on land. Because their legs are so weak, a mature Gharial will not be able to lift itself off the ground. However, their
feet are well suited for swimming, and that is very good, because this
crocodile is the most aquatic (aquatic means living in water) of all the other crocodilian
species.
The mature
male Gharial has a bulbous structure on the tip of its nose. In India there is a bowl or pot called a ghara, and
that is how the Gharial got its name. There is speculation that the blub is
used to signal females, but scientists are not entirely certain as to its
purpose.
Even
though the Gharial is not well suited for moving on land, the female does come onto the
riverbanks to lay its eggs. The female Gharial will lay 20-95 eggs in a deep
hole in the sand near the water line.
The eggs
of the Gharial are the largest of all of the crocodilian species weighing
approximately 5 ½ ounces. After about 70 days, the females will hear the sound
of chirping coming from the banks of the river and she will climb out of the
water and dig up the young. It is the job of the babies to get themselves to
the water, but their mothers will guard them for several months.
This
crocodile came very close to extinction back in the 1970s, but conservation
programs have been successful and the numbers of Gharials has increased.
Currently, there are approximately 1500 Gharials in the wild. The cause for
their depleted numbers is encroachment, which has resulted in a reduced
habitat. Today, it is only found in the rivers of India. The red "A" on the below map is the location of a known population of Gharials.
I found
what I think is an interesting video for you. If you are not on my WEB site,
you may not be able to see the video, so please visit, and don’t be shy, leave
a comment or consider to sign up for upcoming posts.
If you
would like to learn more about the Gharial, I suggest you visit the following
sites:
IUCN = International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Thank you for stopping by, and
Enjoy!
J.E. Rogers
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