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Gharial

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Gharial

Introduction

  • It is a freshwater crocodile 
  • Scientific Name: Gavialis gangeticus
  • Gharial derives its name from ghara, an Indian word for pot because of a bulbous knob (narial excrescence) present at the end of their snout.The ghara also renders gharial the only visibly sexually dimorphic crocodilian.

Factly

  • India is home to three crocodilian species: Mugger or Marsh Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) and Saltwater or Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).
  • Odisha’s Kendrapara district is the only region in the country where all three species coexist, especially within and around Bhitarkanika National Park.

Features

  • Size:It is one of the largest crocodilian species, with males reaching 16 to 20 feet (5 to 6 meters) in length. Females typically grow to lengths of 11.5 to 15 feet (3.5 to 4.5 meters).
  • Gharials have thick skin covered with smooth epidermal scales that do not overlap. 
  • Sexual Dimorphism:Gharials exhibit sexual dimorphism — or differences in characteristics between males and females of the same species — in both size and appearance. Adult males develop a bulbous growth at the tip of their snout, called a “ghara” after the Indian pot it resembles. 
    • The ghara has several functions. 
    • It partially covers the crocodiles nostrils and acts as a vocal resonator, creating a loud, buzzing sound when the gharial vocalizes. 
    • It is also a visual signal for females, helping males attract a mate.
  • Because of their weak leg muscles, gharials are poorly equipped for locomotion on land. Most of their movement takes place in the water. When they do move across land, gharials push their bodies forward across the ground, a motion known as belly-sliding.
  • 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: Like other crocodilians, gharials are polygamous, with one male defending a territory where he and several females live. 
    • Territorial and courting display behaviors include head slapping the water and buzzing vocalizations. 
    • They mate during November–January and lay eggs March–May.
    • As with all crocodilians, the sex of the hatchlings is determined during incubation.  
    • Females, who are protective of their nest and hatchlings, provide the sole parental care.
  • Diet:The species are largely piscivorous of all extant crocodilians. Possession of a strongly attenuated snout and rows of uniform sharp teeth supported by a relatively long, well muscled neck makes it a most efficient fish catcher.
    • Adult gharials primarily eat fish, while juveniles also feed on insects, crustaceans and frogs.

Sexual Dimorphism

Sexual dimorphism is the condition where different sexes of the same species exhibit different morphological characteristics, including characteristics not directly involved in reproduction

Distribution & Habitat

  • Gharial prefers deep fast flowing rivers, however adult gharial have also been observed in still water branches (jheel) of rivers and in comparatively velocity-free aquatic environments of deepholes (kunds) at river bends and confluences. 
  • Smaller animals seem to conserve energy by resting out of the mainstream in sheltered backwaters, particularly during the monsoon (July-September). Sand and rock outcrops are preferred basking sites and these animals show considerable site fidelity.
  • Historically, gharial were found in the river system of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and southern part of Bhutan and Nepal. Today they survive only in the waters of India and Nepal. 
  • The surviving population can be found within the tributaries of the Ganges river system: Girwa (Uttar Pradesh), Son (Madhya Pradesh), Ramganga (Uttarakhand), Gandak (Bihar), Chambal (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan) and Mahanadi (Orissa).
  • The Gharial reserves of India are located in three States: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

National Chambal Sanctuary

  • National Chambal Sanctuary, also called the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, is a tri-state protected area in northern India for the protection of the Critically Endangered gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle and the Endangered Ganges river dolphin. 
  • Located on the Chambal River near the tripoint of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
  • The National Chambal Sanctuary is listed as an Important Bird Area (IBA) and is a proposed Ramsar site. 
  • Chambal supports the largest population of Gharials in the wild.

Conservation Status

  • IUCN Red List: Critically endangered
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1
  • CITES:  Appendix I

Role of Gharials in River Ecosystems

  • Gharials help maintain ecological balance in river ecosystems.
  • Being primarily fish-eaters, they regulate fish populations and prevent overpopulation.
  • They act as natural scavengers by feeding on carrion, reducing water pollution.
  • Their high sensitivity to environmental changes makes them reliable indicator species.
  • The presence of gharials reflects a healthy, clean, and well-functioning river system.

FAQs 

Q1.What makes gharials unique among crocodilians?

Their elongated snout, strict piscivorous diet, extreme aquatic adaptation, and visible sexual dimorphism through the ghara.

Q2. Where is the largest population of gharials found?

In the Chambal River, within the National Chambal Sanctuary.

Q3. What is the function of the ghara in male gharials?

It helps in sound production, mating displays, and attracting females.

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