Gharials - SS

The gavial or gharial has a characteristic elongated, narrow snout, similar only to the false gharial. The gharial is one of the largest of all crocodilian species. Gharials are found in the rivers of the northern India subcontinent, in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Burma, Nepal and Pakistan.

Adaptations

Gharials are most adapted to the calmer areas in the deep fast moving rivers. The physical attributes of the Gharial do not make it very suited for moving about on land. In fact the only reasons the Gharial leaves the water is to either bask in the sun or to nest on the sandbanks of the rivers. It is able only to push its body forward across the ground or "belly-slide." It is, however, very agile in the water. The tail is well-developed and laterally flattened, and the rear feet possess extensive webbing. Adults are primarily fish-eaters, for which their jaws and teeth are perfectly adapted. The thin shape gives the snout low resistance in water, which is suited to fast lateral snatching movements underwater. The Gharial has 106 to 110 teeth in the elongated snout. The elongated jaws are lined with many interlocking, razor-sharp teeth, an adaptation to their fish diet. The teeth are ideally suited for holding struggling prey such as slippery fish. Some of the larger Gharials are more opportunistic and take larger prey, including mammals.