Gavial photography. Gangetic gharial: photos, interesting facts, nutrition. The lifestyle of endangered animals

Gangetic gharial(Gavialis gangeticus) is the oldest species of crocodiles. It appeared on Earth over sixty million years ago. And only one of the twelve fossilized species found on the territory of many continents has survived to this day. consider the gharial and worship him.

Gangetic gharial: photo and description

Acquaintance with him should begin with a description of some of his characteristic features. The length of its muzzle is more than 3 times its width. It lengthens with age. And in adult males, a bump appears at the end of the muzzle, resembling an Indian pot, which is called ghara, hence the gharial - Indian name of this kind.

The Gangetic gharial is armed with thin and sharp teeth. On the jaws of adults, they can be counted 110, slightly tilted to the side in structure. This is necessary for a more tenacious capture of fish.

The cylindrical shape of the body can reach five meters in length. But now especially large reptiles are very rare. Males are much larger than females and can weigh up to 200 kg.

Gangetic gharial - great swimmer. In water, it can reach speeds of up to 30 km / h (thanks to special membranes on the hind limbs). On land, he moves in a slightly different way. The animal crawls on its belly, which is not allowed to lift underdeveloped limbs.

The color of these reptiles is dominated by green color. The upper body is darker than the belly and has transverse stripes. With age, the color changes to darker.

Food

What does the Gangetic gharial eat? The diet of these reptiles is varied. But the main diet is fish, as most they spend their lives in the water. Having caught a slippery fish with its sharp and tenacious teeth, the Gangetic gharial will not release its prey.

Large crocodiles attack mammals, eat snakes and birds, as well as drowned people, who, according to the traditions of India, are often buried not in the ground, but in the sacred waters of rivers. A variety of decorations that are put on the dead, as well as small stones, getting into the stomach of the Gangetic gharial, contribute to better grinding and digestion of food. Juveniles may feed on crayfish and frogs.

Gangetic gharial: interesting facts

• The males form harems. They carefully protect their females and the territory on which the harem is located from encroachments and interference from outsiders. Most of the time, it doesn't come to a fight. Opponents hiss at each other and show aggression with a warlike look.
• Gangetic gharials are capable of breeding in captivity.
• AT wild nature there may be individuals with an almost white body color, which does not affect their hunting abilities in any way.
• Males use a peculiar outgrowth on the muzzle to attract females during mating games. It also allows them to stay underwater longer.
• After mating, the female Gangetic gharial digs a hole on the sandy shore for laying eggs. There may be several such holes, reaching 50 cm in depth, until she chooses one that suits her.

mating season, mating

At the end of winter - the beginning of spring, the mating season begins at the Gangetic gharial. Mating takes place in the water, and with all the females of the harem. A fertilized female lays an average of up to 40 eggs (sometimes their number can be 70-90). She carefully protects them from ruin by jackals and monitor lizards. The male also takes an active part in the protection. But already with the onset, the harem breaks up, and predators lead their usual solitary lifestyle.

Offspring

When enough high temperature eggs mature quickly. After 3-4 months, offspring appear, breaking through the eggshell with a tooth at the very tip of the nose. The mother helps the babies get out of the sand, but she cannot carry them to the water because her mouth is simply not adapted for this. Small crocodiles are protected by adults for up to 2 months, until they get stronger in the aquatic environment.

Hunting and recreation

Gangetic gharial loves to bask in the sun, sitting comfortably on the sandy shore. But in order not to become a victim of other predators, it does not move away from the water.

When hunting for fish, the Gangetic gharial can wait for its prey in a completely motionless pose, or it can slowly swim along the river, catching barely noticeable oscillatory movements. In both cases, the hunt ends with a sharp movement of the head to the side - and the victim can no longer escape.

Where does it live and how long does it live?

The Ghanaian gharial can be found in the Indus River in eastern Pakistan, as well as in Mahanadi, Irrawaddy and Brahmaputra.

Can live 45-50 years. However, few people manage to live to such an age. This species has a very high mortality rate.

Helpers

Despite their impressive size and intimidating mouth with razor teeth, these reptiles can be considered the most good-natured. They never attack people. The reason for this unusual behavior of a predator lies, most likely, in their clumsiness and shy disposition.

Gangetic gharials can be considered in some way orderlies, as they clean the river waters from the rotting remains of corpses. In addition, the object of hunting gharials are catfish, which feed on valuable commercial fish - tilapia. Due to the sharp decrease in the number of predatory reptiles, its population has also decreased.

The threat of extinction of large crocodiles

The hard, Gangetic gharial is highly valued and is used to make various jewelry, bags, purses, and shoes. The eggs of these crocodiles are used to make omelettes and are used in medicine. They also hunt for growths at the end of the muzzle of males, which are considered aphrodisiacs. These rare reptiles are under threat complete disappearance. Therefore, they are listed in the International Red Book, and hunting for them is prohibited.

Save these reptiles will help a set of measures aimed primarily at cleaning from chemical substances and sewage discharges of rivers, where rare specimens of the Gangetic gharial are still found. In addition, they are kept in captivity, protecting eggs and young, which is also aimed at preserving this species.

Thanks to government conservation measures, the number of the Gangetic gharial, the “kindest crocodile” on the planet, has been increased tenfold.

Gharial (lat. Gavialis gangeticus) is one of the representatives of the order of crocodiles, the only species in the Gavial family. From external differences a narrow, long muzzle can be noted. Its width is three times less than its length. With age, the muzzle of the gharial becomes even narrower and longer. Due to the fact that the gharial feeds on fish, its teeth are long and sharp, located with a slight inclination for the convenience of eating.

The body length of males is about 6 meters, females, for the most part, do not reach more than 3 meters. The back of the gharial has a brownish-green color, and the belly is lighter, with a yellow tint. Gharial lives on the Hindustan Peninsula, in Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Myanmar.

The habitual habitat for the gharial is water bodies. And not shallow water, but deep sections of fast rivers. It is distinguished from other crocodiles by its inability to move through dry areas due to a certain anatomical features- Weak leg muscles.

But in the water, the speed of his movements is quite high, in comparison with other representatives of the crocodile order. The gharial comes out on land only for sunbathing and during the breeding season.

The diet of the young gharial includes small representatives of invertebrates and frogs. Adults eat fish. Especially large representatives of gharials are able to hunt birds and small mammals.

Gharial hunters often find human remains and jewelry in the stomach of these animals. This is due to the fact that gharials also feed on human corpses burned and buried in the Ganges River.

Takova ancient tradition Indians. Gems enter the stomach of crocodiles in the same way. Gharials swallow them for a specific purpose - to quickly grind food in the stomach and to increase body weight (ballast). Luckily, gharials never attack humans.

The ability to reproduce occurs in females at the age of ten years. By that time, they reach a length of about three meters. Male gharials are polygamous. For each male, there are several females, whom he protects from the encroachments of other males. The mating season lasts 2 months - from November to January.

Females lay their eggs in the sand, at a distance of three to five meters from the water in a shallow hole, and cover it with plant material from above. The weight of eggs reaches 160 g, which is three times more than that of other types of crocodiles.

The incubation period is 2-2.5 months. After the birth of the cubs, the female does not transfer them to the water, but takes care of her offspring for several more weeks.

Gharials are currently listed in the IUCN Red List. They are under serious threat of extinction. Every day there are fewer and fewer places suitable for their quiet life and reproduction, the stocks of fish, their main food, are decreasing.

The eggs of this rare species of crocodile are harvested to treat certain diseases. In addition, poachers continue to hunt male gharials in order to obtain growths from their noses, which are used as a means to increase potency.

In the 70s of the last century in India, they began to breed gharials in captivity. And in 1981, the first gharial individuals that were born on crocodile farms were released into the wild. There are about 1,500 gharials living in India today. Of the forty young individuals, only one reaches sexual maturity.

Gangetic gharial is a crocodile that caught the era of dinosaurs. More than 65 million years he lives on the planet. The Indian crocodile is on the verge of extinction. The only individual in the family.

As you guessed from the name, it takes water artery Ganges rivers and nearby reservoirs. In a small number they can be found on the Hindustan Peninsula, also in Nepal, Bangladesh.

Gangetic Gavrila crocodiles live in fresh rivers with strong currents, where they can safely lie down on the bottom.

It looks like, but the muzzle immediately betrays an ancient reptile. It is elongated, at the end it has a growth in the form of a bump. The teeth are smaller and sharper. If in numbers, then there are about 100 of them. The eyes are small, arranged in a special way and look in opposite directions. The vision of the Gangetic gharial does not suffer from this.

The color is dirty green, turning yellow on the belly. It's because top part the body is protected by bony plates, unlike the abdomen. In nature, absolutely white individuals are found. The limbs are weak, the hind limbs are equipped with membranes for swimming. The tail is wide, flattened. In length, the reptile reaches 6 meters, weighs up to 180 kg.

The male acquires a harem, and during the mating season (November to February), he mates in the water with all the "wives".

Attracts attention with the help of a build-up that serves as a resonator for sounds, also blows bubbles and imitates clicks. The crocodile lays its eggs in the sand in March. From above masks vegetation.

The incubation period takes about two months. One clutch contains up to 40 eggs. After hatching, the mother cannot carry the babies into the water, since her jaws are not designed for this. She takes care of them for several weeks. Only a few survive, the rest go to feed predators. The female becomes sexually mature at 10 years old, the male at 15.

Food

gharial crocodile catches a golden catfish. Juveniles may eat:

• insects;
• frogs;
• birds;
• crabs;

They are considered orderlies in the water, as they eat catfish that destroy an important commercial fish. And they clean the water space from human remains, as they eat carrion.

The Gangetic gharial is a friendly creature; it does not attack a person. Hunting takes place in a measured environment, at first it freezes or slowly swims nicely, then a sharp throw of the mouth and that's it, the jaws are closed and the prey will not be able to get out.

water lovers with capital letter, crawl out onto land only to bask and lay offspring. Because of this, Gangetic gharials are overgrown with sea acorns that settle on the bottoms of ships, stones.

Enemies

Only humans attack reptiles. Poachers use skin to decorate bags, shoes, textiles. The growth is a powerful aphrodisiac, and eggs are used in the medical field.

Also, farmers occupy the shores for their land, thereby reducing the population of the Gangetic gharial. Add here the factor of natural pollution.

Ganga has long ceased to be clean river. The fish dies, respectively, the crocodile with long nose doomed to extinction.

1. The speed in water develops up to 30 km / h, on land a maximum of 7 km / h.
2. For better digestion in order to grind food, he swallows stones, even precious ones come across during the autopsy.
3. Endowed with excellent hearing.
4. Due to weak legs, they move on land, crawling on their belly.
5. They can breed in captivity.
6. In India, this species is sacred. He is worshiped and revered. Thanks to the appendage at the end of the bow, it can stay under water for a long time.

The average is at around 50 years.

The Gangetic gharial is listed in the Red Book and is under protection.

According to the latest data, the increase is about 20%.

Gangetic gharial - one of the largest crocodiles in the world. He is the owner of a narrow mouth dotted with sharp teeth. This species of crocodile lives in the rivers of India, feeding almost exclusively on fish.
DIMENSIONS
Length: males - up to 6.6 m, females - up to 4 m.
Weight up to 1,000 kg.
BREEDING
Puberty: from 10 years old.
mating season: end of winter - spring.
Number of eggs: 20-90 (average 40).
Incubation: 70-100 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habits: Keep alone and in small groups.
Food: Mainly fish, but also waterfowl, crabs and small mammals.
related species. The Gangetic gharial is the only representative of its family. Outwardly, the gharial resembles the crocodile gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii), which belongs to the group of true crocodiles.

Although the Gangetic Gharial has been bred in captivity, the future of this species is rather uncertain. Animals were hunted for their shiny skin, and with the development of industry in India, many natural habitats of crocodiles disappeared. To save the Gangetic gharial from extinction, several reserves have been created.
FOOD . Most crocodiles are very undemanding to food. They eat almost everything that appears in the water or on land within the reach of their mouths. Gharial, on the other hand, specializes only in certain foods - it feeds almost exclusively on fish.
The Gangetic gharial hunts from cover and snatches careless fish with its sharp-toothed mouth. Having caught the prey, the Gangetic gavial raises its mouth with prey above the water. If this big fish, he hits it several times on the surface of the water to break it apart. The cold-blooded gharial does not require much energy, so it can eat once a week. Large individuals also prey on waterfowl and small mammals. Often they are a danger to people. Human remains have been found in the stomachs of some Gangetic gharials.
The g avial swallows the fish head first so that its gills do not get stuck in the throat.
Gavial AND MAN. people within years Thousands of Gangetic gharials were killed and bags were made from their skins. Another blow to the population of these crocodiles was the construction of river dams. Electricity and water-pressure stations appeared on the rivers in India. Irrigation plays an important role in arid India, but the Gangetic gharial has become its victim.
In 1975, less than 70 gharials lived at large. The Indian government has decided to raise them in captivity. People collected animal eggs and carried them to special stations. The cubs that have appeared here are reliably protected from enemies, they are constantly monitored. After reaching a length of 120 cm, young gharials can lead an independent life, so they are released into the wild.
REPRODUCTION. At the end of winter and at the beginning of spring, Gangetic gharial males gather harems consisting of 3-4 females. At this time, male gharials hiss and growl, trying to scare rivals. After a successful matchmaking, the gharial mates with all the females in the harem. Mating of reptiles takes place in the water - a pair in a strong embrace gradually sinks to the bottom of the river. Gangetic gharial belongs to a number of crocodiles, therefore it lays eggs. A fertilized female gets ashore and digs a hole at a distance of 10 m from the water, in which she lays about 40 eggs covered with a thin shell. The female chooses the place for the nest with zeal, looking for the most favorable microclimate for the development of eggs. Having made a clutch, the female keeps close, she resolutely guards the eggs from predators such as monitor lizards and jackals. The higher the temperature, the faster the eggs develop. After 70-100 days, small gharials appear. The mother, having heard their loud squeak, comes to the rescue, raking a layer of soil over the kids and pushing them with her muzzle in the direction of the water. Sometimes the female takes the cubs in her teeth and carries them into the river, holding them very gently in her mouth.
Gangetic gharials are born by piercing the eggshell with a special tooth on the tip of the nose.
LIFESTYLE. The most favorite activity of the Gangetic gharial is to warm up in the sun. Sitting comfortably on a sandy island, the crocodile takes a sunbath, but rarely moves away from the water.
G aviation prefers transparent rivers with fast current. Ghariala, completely immersed in water and exposed only his nostrils to the surface, smoothly carries away with the current. Water temperature fluctuates less than air temperature. crocodile gharial- it is a cold-blooded animal, so its body temperature depends on temperature environment. Crocodiles spend cold nights in the water. They hide under precipitous banks, where they linger warm air. During sleep, the gharial slows down the metabolic process and reduces the oxygen consumption of the body. The mouth of the gharial is littered with hundreds of very sharp teeth. This is his fishing tackle.
Did you know that crocodiles swallow pebbles, which in their stomachs play the role of millstones that grind large pieces. In the stomachs of the Gangetic gharial, hand and foot bracelets of Indian girls are found. Gharials often pick up these ornaments on the shore along with stones.
The Gangetic gharial also preys on catfish, which, in turn, feed on tilapia, the main target of local fishermen. The decline in the number of gharials led to an increase in the number of catfish, which almost destroyed the tilapia. So fish-eating gharials began to be perceived by fishermen as competitors, although in reality they were their allies. This also contributed to the destruction of the gharial.
PECULIARITIES.
Leather: tough, hard like a shell, is a valuable raw material for manufacturing various items. Hunting gharial is prohibited.
Limbs: swims due to the presence of swimming membranes between the fingers. Gharial females dig a hole with their paws.
Muzzle: In comparison with other crocodiles, the gharial has a narrow muzzle, studded with more than a hundred teeth. The gharial lacks lips to prevent water from entering the mouth. Prominent nostrils allow the animal to breathe while underwater.
End of the nose: in males, there is a nodular growth at the end of the nose, the function of which has not been studied. Perhaps this is a resonator that amplifies the sounds of the male during the mating season.
Way to travel: gharial cannot run with its body and tail raised above the ground, as other crocodiles do. It crawls slowly along the ground.
How the gharial hunts. The gharial's mouth is perfectly adapted to making quick lunges underwater. The narrow mouth does not meet the resistance of the water, so the animal can quickly turn its side and grab the fish swimming nearby with its very sharp teeth.
LIVING PLACE. There are two populations of the Gangetic gharial: several individuals live in the Indus River in eastern Pakistan and large group inhabits the Mahanadi, Ganges, Brahmaputra and Irrawaddy rivers.
Preservation. Thanks to captive breeding and conservation, the number of the species is gradually increasing. Despite this, the Gangetic gharial is among the species for which conservation measures continue to apply.

Interesting about Gangetic gharials

Systematics

Russian name - gharial crocodile, false gharial, Malay fish crocodile, Malayan gharial, pseudo gharial, etc.

Latin name - Tomistoma schlegelii

English name - False gharial, Malayan gharial, Sunda gharial

Class - Reptiles or Reptiles (Reptilia)

Squad - Crocodiles (Crocodilia)

Family - Gavial (Gavialidae)

Genus - Tomistoma

The generic name comes from the Greek tomos- sharp and stoma- mouth and points to characteristic structure the head of this reptile. The species name "schlegelii" was given to the crocodile gharial in honor of the Dutchman H. Schlegel, who first discovered this animal for science.

Previously, taxonomists placed the gharial crocodile in the crocodile family, but in 2007, using molecular genetic methods, it was found that this reptile is a close relative of the gharial.

The status of the species in nature

Highly rare view, included in the International Red Book in the status of "disappearing" - IUCN (EN) and in Appendix I of the Convention on international trade wild species of animals and plants - CITES.

Since the 1990s, populations of the gharial crocodile have been assessed in the islands of Borneo, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia. First Scientific research were carried out in 1995-1997, new data on the ecology of this species were obtained. In 2001-2002, 2 areas in Sumatra were surveyed and an Indonesian working group was established for the first time. Additional research made it possible to identify another breeding site for gharials and organize the protection of the marshy forest.

In 2003, an international organization was established to raise funds for the study of the species in nature, as well as maintain a website and inform the world community. Fundraising events were held in North America and Europe. The study of the problem of conservation of crocodiles in this region continued. In 2009, a foundation was established in East Kalimantan to protect crocodiles and their habitats. international organization Fauna and Flora is developing a project to restore the ecosystems of wetland forests inhabited by gharial crocodiles.

However, despite the efforts made, there are currently no long-term programs for research and protection of crocodiles and their habitats. Virtually all initiatives are carried out with limited funds, often on a voluntary basis and within a limited time frame.

Unfortunately, the efficiency of work on breeding gharial crocodiles in captivity is also low.

There are about 2500 individuals of this species left in nature.

View and person

The scientific description was given to the gharial crocodile by the famous German naturalist S. Müller in 1838.

This animal, despite its considerable size, was traditionally considered not dangerous to humans because of its narrow muzzle. However, if a false gharial can deal with such a large animal as a wild boar or a deer, then a person is too tough for him. The first confirmed attack on a human occurred in late 2008 on the island of Borneo, where a 4-meter female attacked and ate a fisherman. In 2012, it became known about two more fatal attacks these reptiles on people. Most likely, this is due to the violation by people of the habitats of gharials and the low number of habitual prey of these animals.

Gharial crocodiles are suffering greatly from environmental degradation, as people in the crocodile habitats are reclamation, turning swamps into agricultural land. Huge Negative influence causes water pollution. The skin of the gharial crocodile is not valued as highly as the skin of other crocodiles, so they are rarely hunted specifically, but many animals die in fishing nets.

The main reason for the decline in numbers is a change in the habitats of crocodiles. Over the past 75 years, the number of gharial crocodile has decreased by approximately 30%. , and the trouble is that the known populations of the gharial are small, fragmented and occupy territories where intensive destruction occurs natural environment. Therefore, the main condition for the conservation of natural populations of this animal is exclusion from economic activity their habitats.

Distribution and habitats

The gharial crocodile's historical range covered most of Indonesia, Malaysia, and possibly Thailand.

Currently, the gharial crocodile is found in the eastern part of Sumatra, in the western part of Java, in Kalimantan and the Malay Peninsula. Since 1970, it has been considered extinct in Thailand, and may have disappeared in Vietnam. The distribution area is located in the equatorial region from 5 ° north latitude to 5 ° south latitude. Populations of the Malayan gharial are small everywhere, located in a mosaic pattern within the range.

Reptiles live in freshwater swamps, rivers, lakes, prefer calm water and places densely overgrown with aquatic vegetation.

Appearance

Outwardly, the gharial crocodile is similar to the gharial - the same narrow elongated muzzle, the length of which exceeds the width at the base by 3-4.5 times. However, there are many anatomical and biological differences between the Indian gharial and the gharial crocodile, so for a long time they were assigned to different families.

The body coloration is dark chocolate brown, with dark (sometimes black) stripes and randomly shaped spots on the body and tail. Like all crocodilians, males are larger than females and can reach five meters in length. Usually, the length of this reptile does not exceed 3.6-3.9 meters and weighs up to 250 kg. The maximum length of the measured female is 3.27 m with a weight of 93 kg.

The tooth "armament" of the crocodile gharial consists of 76-83 narrow sharp teeth, similar to fangs and almost the same in size.

Feeding and feeding behavior

Despite the vast range, the biology of the gharial crocodile is not well understood. Initially, it was believed that its diet was similar to that of its related gharial and consisted of fish and small vertebrates. This idea was based on the similarity of the narrow muzzle of the gharial crocodile with that of the gharial. Such a muzzle makes it possible to make a lightning-fast jerk with the head to the side, deftly grab a fish swimming past and hold it with sharp thin teeth. But it turned out that fish is not the most important component in the diet, the false gharial has wide range nutrition.

The food for these reptiles is a variety of aquatic and land animals: fish, shrimps, pythons, monkeys, wild pigs, otters, various birds, monitor lizards and even turtles. Juveniles are content with small prey - aquatic and land insects, larvae, mollusks, worms, small fish, etc.

Like other crocodiles, the gharial hunts mainly at night, stealthily sneaking up on its prey.

Lifestyle and social behavior

Active mainly at night. Its behavior is practically not studied.

Reproduction and parenting behavior

The reproductive cycle is not well understood. In total, less than 20 nests of this animal have been documented in nature. Most of the nests found in Sumatra and Kalimantan were located in the roots of huge trees in old wetland forests. In Sarawak (Malaysia), the nest was located in a ruined forest on the edge of a cultivated field.

Females build nests from plant remains (leaves, grass, peat) about 60 cm high. Egg-laying occurs in the dry season, eggs in the nest are from 13 to 41 (according to other sources - up to 60). The eggs of this reptile are the largest among crocodiles, about 100 mm in diameter. Apparently, the females of the Malayan gharial do not take care of their offspring - after laying eggs, they leave the nest and forget about their parental responsibilities. Many nests perish, devastated by predators, wild pigs, rodents and even reptiles.

The plant remains of which the nest is built slowly rot and due to this, the temperature in the nest is maintained at 28-33°C. At the beginning of the wet season, after 70-80 days of incubation, small (about 10 cm long) crocodiles hatch from the eggs. From the first day after birth, they are forced to take care of their well-being on their own. They have to get their own food, and also avoid meeting with enemies. Small gharials can be attacked by mongooses, wild dogs and cats, martens, and larger ones by tigers and leopards.

Sexual maturity in females of this species occurs with a total body length of 2.5-3 m at the age of about 20 years.

Lifespan

These reptiles can live up to 50 years in captivity, less in nature.

Gharial crocodiles have been kept in the Moscow Zoo more than once. However, due to their rarity and inaccessibility, it was not possible to form a full-fledged pair and achieve reproduction in captivity. Currently, an adult female gharial crocodile can always be seen at the main exposition of the Terrarium pavilion in the New Territory. In 2017, the Moscow Zoo received another young crocodile, which was confiscated while being illegally imported into the country. Gharial crocodiles are fed with fish, rodents, shrimps - 2-3 times a week. The amount of food and the frequency of feeding depends on the age and size of the animal. Young crocodiles are fed more often and more varied.