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Bhutan's
Nature - Animals
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Bhutan Nature Animals |
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Bhutan Information |
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Animals
of riverbanks: Gharial Crocodiles
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Gharial
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 Indian
gharial, Indian gavial (the latter probably created by a misspelling, even
carried to the genus - name derived from an Indian pot, a ghara, which
resembles the bulbous nasal appendage present on mature males), Fish-eating
crocodile, Gavial del Ganges, Gavial du Gange, Long-nosed crocodile, Bahsoolia,
Nakar, Chimpta, Lamthora, Mecho Kumhir, Naka, Nakar, Shormon, Thantia,
Thondre, Garial |
Gavialis is a corrupted derivation from the Hindi word ghariyal which is
a name for "crocodile".
gangeticus means "of the Ganges (River)", where -icus means "belonging
to"
"Gavial"
is a mis-spelling of the word "Gharial" (derived from the Hindi ghariyal)
that refers to the ghara (Hindi for "pot") - a swelling around the nostrils
of mature males
Northern
India subcontinent: Bangladesh (close to being extirpated), Bhutan (possibly
extirpated), India, Myanmar (possibly extirpated), Nepal, Pakistan
(close to being extirpated). They are found within the river systems of
the Brahmaputra (Bhutan & India), the Indus (Pakistan), the Ganges
(India & Nepal), and the Mahanadi (India), with small populations in
the Kaladan and the Irrawaddy in Burma.
Riverine
- more adapted to an aquatic lifestyle in the calmer areas of deep, fast-moving
rivers. The gharial is poorly equipped for locomotion on land. It
usually only leaves the water to bask and nest, both of which usually occur
on sandbanks.
Estimated
wild population: 2,500 to 3,500
Summary:
Fragmented distribution, but population recovering due to positive conservation
efforts which continue today
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Gharial
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Characteristic elongate, narrow snout, similar only to the false gharial,
(Tomistoma schlegelii).
Variation in snout shape occurs with age (generally becomes proportionally
longer and thinner with increasing age).
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The bulbous growth on the tip of the male's snout is called a 'Ghara' (after
the Indian word meaning 'pot'), present in mature individuals. It has several
functions attributed to it: a vocal resonator (which produces a loud buzzing
noise during vocalisation), a visual stimulus to females, and the production
of bubbles associated with sexual behaviour.
The elongated jaws are lined with many interlocking, razor-sharp teeth
- an adaptation to the diet (predominantly fish in adults). The gharial
is one of the largest of all crocodilian species, approaching C. porosus
in maximum size - males reach at least 5 metres in length, and often approach
6 metres. Reports of 7 metre animals exist, but are unconfirmed.
The gharial is poorly equipped for locomotion on land - the leg musculature
is not suited to raise the body off the ground (to produce the 'high-walk'
gait - being able only to push its body forward across the ground ('belly-sliding'),
although it can do this with some speed when required. It is, however,
very agile in the water - the tail is well-developed and laterally flattened,
and the rear feet possess extensive webbing.
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