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The Gharial (Gavialis
gangeticus) is a unique species of crocodilian, characterized
by its long, thin snout and the bulbous growth at
the end of its snout. Though millions of years ago
there were several similar species, today the Gharial
is the last remaining species of this ancient line,
the last surviving species of the family Gavialidae.
The status of the crocodilian species Gharial, Gavialis
gangeticus has recently been revised by the IUCN to
Critically Endangered.
Estimates of gharial population indicate less than 200 mature, breeding individuals of this species living in the wild along India's rivers today. Only a handful of institutions in the world are successfully breeding gharial for reintroduction into the wild, and a vast majority of these animals, when released, don't survive to become adults.
As part of the strategy
to help save the Gharial from the brink of extinction
and to get zoos more involved in the Gharial conservation
efforts, The Living Planet Foundation is working with
the Houston Zoo on a proposal to build a facility
for the captive bred Gharial from India to hopefully
bask and reproduce. read
more>>
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