Looking like a crocodile with a nose job, the gharial has one of the strangest looking heads on the planet-and one of the deadliest. Armed with jaws lined with long, needle-like teeth, this predator can swing around to snag any fish that comes near. A prehistoric-looking creature, the gharial has been around longer than any of its croc cousins.
Lock Jaw: The gharial's jaws are filled with 104 to 110 long, thin teeth. These teeth interlock when the beast closes its mouth, holding prey in an inescapable grip.
Pinocchio: The most distinguishing feature of this crocodilian is its skinny snout. Comprising the animal's jaws and nose, it can reach up to 3.5 feet in length, but is only a few inches wide.
Hard to Swallow[]
Gharials spear fish with their big, sharp teeth.
The gharial hunts by lying still at the bottom of the deepest areas of its home river. This reptile's jaws are perfectly adapted for eating fish. When a big fish swims by, the gharial swings its slender snout around and gores the victim on its spike- like teeth. When the prey is too big to swallow, the killer rises to the surface, thrashes its jaws and shreds the fish into small, easy-to-swallow pieces. Gharials also ambush birds and small mammals at the river's edge.
Nasal Voice: Bulbous knobs on the end of the male gharial's snout surround its nostrils. These knobs help amplify the creature's whistles and grunts that it uses to call out to females during the breeding season.
Week Kneed: The gharial's legs are too weak to lift its bulky body off the ground, so the animal looks awkward when walking on land. In the water, however, webbed feet and a long sweeping tail propel the gharial with ease.
River Raid[]
- After spending hours trying to hook a catfish, a man feels a tug on his line and begins to pull in his catch. Suddenly, in an explosion of splashing water, a gharial appears and grabs the fish in its long jaws.
- With a jerk of its head, the beast snaps the man's fishing line. The fish in its jaws is too big to swallow, so the gharial thrashes its prey from side to side to tear it into bite-size chunks. All the fisherman can do is race to safety.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The image of the gharial on the back right is also used on the Wildlife Explorer card for the gharial.
- The gharial is mentioned as a modern-day ancestor of the Sarcosuchus on the big croc's knowledge card.
- The gharial is featured in Know Your Noses on Monster Mania 86.