Results: Gharials

(Source: National Geographic) Gharials, sometimes called gavials, are a type of Asian crocodilian distinguished by their long, thin snouts. Their lifespan in the wild goes from 40 to 60 years. Since the mid-1900s, the gharial's numbers have declined as much as 98 percent due to hunting for traditional medicine and drastic changes to their freshwater habitats. For instance, people have manipulated the flow of rivers, causing certain areas to dry out and making it more difficult for water-reliant gharials to survive. Now they live in India and Nepal only. The species is critically endangered. Have you ever heard about gharials before this survey?

A typical gharial will reach 12 to 15 feet in length and weigh up to 2,000 pounds. Gharials regulate their body temperature by basking in the sun to warm up or resting in shade or water to cool down. Despite their size and big teeth, they eat fish and rarely small mammals. Unless people bother them, they don't attack humans. Would you feel comfortable being near a gharial?

Gharials do not stalk and lunge at prey like other crocodilians—their snouts contain sensory cells that can detect vibrations in the water. By whipping their heads from side to side, the animals zero in on fish and grab them in their jaws, which are lined with more than a hundred teeth. Do you know any other reptiles that hunt by detecting vibrations?