Gharial (lat. Gavialis gangeticus) is one of the representatives of the order of crocodiles, the only species in the Gavial family. Of the 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 brown 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 areas 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. Precious stones 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. lasts mating season 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 on top. 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.

Gharial is a special kind of crocodile, a direct descendant of ancient reptiles.

Gangetic gharial has significant differences from all other crocodiles. First of all, it is his appearance. A long narrow muzzle preserved from ancestors, the jaws of which are studded with rare and needle-sharp teeth.

The gharial spends most of its time in the water and feeds on fish, and its habits are more reminiscent of the behavior predatory fish. In relation to other living beings, he is less aggressive.

Gharial is unusual. As the study of scientists confirms, in the form it looks like now, it has existed for several million years, and only in those places where the conditions for its existence have practically not changed all this time: warm humid climate and fresh water. The habitats of the Gangetic gharial are South Asia, the basin of the Ganges River and its tributaries, in India and Nepal. This crocodile received the name Gangetic just because of the name of the most famous river in India. A few decades ago, the habitat of the Ghanaian gharial was much wider, but beyond last years their number has been greatly reduced and now there are no more than 2000 of them.

Only a few species of animals have survived on earth from ancient times, and even those numerous floods, ice Age and other cataclysms were significantly modified. Prehistoric animals that existed millions of years ago, in the course of evolutionary transformations, adapting to new conditions, changed their appearance. but common features appearance and structure of the body to a certain extent preserved. One of these surviving, in a slightly modified form, is the Gangetic gharial. It is believed that gharials, like separate view has existed on earth for over 50 million years. So, in terms of longevity, gharials are almost the same age as dinosaurs and direct descendants of ancient crocodiles. According to the existing classification of the animal world, gharials belong to the class of reptiles, the order crocodiles and a separate family of gharials, representatives of the genus and species of which they are in the singular.

Outwardly, the gharial looks like an ordinary crocodile. However, if the crocodile can be considered a land animal adapted to life on land, then the gharial is more likely an aquatic animal adapted to existence on earth. Therefore, the gharial is dominated by water signs. It has the same large elongated body as a crocodile on short legs, covered with ossified plates. On the back, the plates are larger, similar to a shell. On the sides and on the stomach, the plates are pressed against each other like fish scales, which protects the gharial from damage on sharp stones both in water and on land, especially since they cannot lift their body on the ground and move only by crawling. This is his special defense, which appeared with a predominant habitat in the water. On the tail, the plates turned into triangular outgrowths. In many gharials, spending almost all the time in the water, the skin is covered with epibiotic crustaceans, which do not seem to interfere with them at all. The body color of gharials is not the same. The back is darker sometimes brown-green, the belly is yellowish-green. There are gharials of light green color, sometimes brown of different shades, rarely black and almost white.

The head of the gharial is almost flat with long narrow jaws; the older the gharial, the longer and narrower its muzzle. At the end of the muzzle, males have a soft growth through which they blow bubbles in the mating season to attract females and emit a loud buzz when exhaling. The eyes are small and rounded, located above the muzzle and looking in different directions, almost like a fish. The teeth are rather thin, rarely growing, with a slight slope and very sharp, specially adapted for catching fish, which is the main food for this reptile.


In size, the gavial is a real giant, second only to saltwater crocodile. Its length is 7 meters or more, females are slightly smaller. They live in relatively calm places, mainly deep rivers from clean water. On land they move with difficulty, but in the water they are very mobile and dexterous, swim well and skillfully hunt fish, which is the main type of their food, but it is possible that they can attack other animals. Small gharials are content with mollusks and insects.

Gharials breed at the age of about 10 years. The female is capable of laying eggs at a length of about three meters. Approximately in November - January, the male gavial gathers around him a whole harem, which he jealously guards from the encroachment of strangers. From March to May, the female digs a hole on the shore and lays 20-60 eggs in it, which she periodically visits, more often at night. After 60 - 80 days, babies hatch from the eggs. Their length is about 40 centimeters, and the muzzle is about 5 centimeters. If necessary, females guard their nest, and when the babies hatch, it helps them to move into the water. After that, for several months, the female takes care of her cubs, although only a few pieces usually remain from the brood.


Gharials are very sensitive to pure fresh water. The severe pollution of rivers in India, as a result of uncontrolled dumping of waste and harmful substances, has become one of the factors in the decrease in the population of these now rare animals.

The gharial is one of the rarest species of crocodiles. In the 1970s The gharial was in danger of extinction. The area suitable for its habitation has significantly decreased, the number of fish has decreased. Gharials often died in fishing nets. Eastern healers massively collected and collect the eggs of gharials and killing them in order to extract growths on the nose for the preparation of medicines.

In addition to India, more recently, gharials could be seen in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan, in the valleys of the Ganges, Indus and Brahmaputra rivers and on the Manas River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, on the border with Bhutan. But now the gharials that lived in Pakistan and Bangladesh are almost completely destroyed, no more than 50 pieces remain. in the zoo and out of the territory national park. In Nepal, there are somewhere around 65-70 of them. To preserve the population, zoos in other countries are ready to take on several individuals, but the Indian authorities forbid the export of Ghanaian gharials outside the country, and if this is done, then mainly by smuggling.

In India in 1975-1977, and in Nepal in 1978, gharial conservation programs were organized. For this, several special farms for growing gharials were created. Work was organized to collect and incubate gharial eggs, followed by the rearing of the cubs in conditions national parks, where young gharials were released. In this regard, there are optimistic forecasts, it seems like it has given certain results, but real success has not yet been published. Well, be that as it may, if they are engaged, then there is still some hope for the preservation of the gharial as a species.

Gangetic gharial - one of the largest crocodiles in the world. He is the owner of a narrow, dotted sharp teeth graze. 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.
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 for long 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 important role in arid India, but the Gangetic gharial became 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 steep banks, where warm air lingers. 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 the manufacture of 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: a few individuals live in the Indus River in eastern Pakistan and a 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


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The Gangetic gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is the oldest species of crocodile. 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 resembling an Indian pot appears at the end of the muzzle, which is called ghara, hence gharial, the Indian name for this species.

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.

The Gangetic gharial is an excellent 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. The upper body is darker than the belly and has transverse stripes. With age, the color changes to darker.

Nutrition

What does the Gangetic gharial eat? The diet of these reptiles is varied. But the main diet is fish, as they spend most of 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 worn 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.
  • IN 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

At a sufficiently high temperature, the eggs ripen 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 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. The number of these rare reptiles is under the threat of complete extinction. 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 they are still found rare individuals Gangetic gharial. 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.

Systematics

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

Latin title - 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 indicates the characteristic structure of 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

Very 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. The first scientific studies 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 the Indonesian working group. 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 deadly attacks of 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 habitats of crocodiles carry out land reclamation, turning swamps into agricultural land. Water pollution has a huge negative impact. 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 gavial crocodile found in the eastern part of the island of Sumatra, in the western part of the island 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 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 a wide range of 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 huge trees in old swamp 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 die, 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.