False Gharial

Facts

IUCN ENDANGERED (EN)

Facts about this animal

The False Gavial has an extremely long snout, passing over gradually into the brain part of the skull (in contrast to the true gavial, Gavialis gangeticus), about 3 to 4.5 times as long as broad at the level of the front corners of the eyes. There are no elevated ridges in front of the eyes. The colour of the upper body surface in adults is reddish brown, with dark blotches and crossbands, especially on the tail; juveniles are speckled with black. The lower surface is uniformly light, without dark blotches. The iris is yellowish brown. It can grow up to 5.6 m, but is usually about 3.6 m.

Did you know?
that "Tomistoma", the scientific name for the false gharial, means "sharp mouth" in Greek? Similarly to the true gharial, the false gharial has a long, slender snout with a total number of 76-84 teeth.

Factsheet
Class	REPTILIA
Order	CROCODYLIA
Suborder	EUSUCHIA
Family	CROCODYLIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Tomistoma schlegelii
Name (English)	False Gharial
Name (French)	Faux-gavial malais
Name (German)	Sunda-Gavial
Name (Spanish)	Falso gavial malayo
Local names	Bahasa: Buaya sepit
CITES Status	Appendix I
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Fritz Geller-Grimm

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Indonesia, Malaysia
Habitat	Lakes, rivers and swamps
Wild population	Approx. < 2'500
Zoo population	67 reported to ISIS (2005)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 42 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Terence Ong

Why do zoos keep this animal

The habitat of this large crocodilian, the peat swamp forests are as threatened as the species itself. Tomistoma schlegelii could therefore be exhibited as an impressive ambassador of this threatened type of habitat. An internationally coordinated conservation breeding program is planned. Continental conservation breeding programs exist already.

How this animal should be kept

The biology and social behavior of this species is still little known and it kept today only rarely in zoos. This crocodilian needs certainly very spacious enclosures with sufficient hiding spots, perhaps it might be kept even in mixed-species exhibits. The surrounding fence or moat needs to be strong and have substantial foundations as crocodilians are very good at digging. In temperate or colder climatic zones keeping outdoors may, however, be possible at best during the summer period.

Mostly, the animals will have to be kept in indoor facilities where the following minimum standards should apply: For a pair of adults an enclosure with no less than 15 m² land and 20 m² water surface is required, for each additional adult both, land and water part, are to be enlarged by 5 m². Average water depth 120 cm. The landpart should be structured e.g. by logs, the floor should be covered with sand or gravel. Floor temperature locally 35ºC (floor heating), air temperature 24-30ºC, water temperature 24-26ºC. Humidity 60-80 %. Light phase 12-14 h per day, HQI lamps. Daily ultraviolet irradiation.