Long-nosed Crocodile
CR

Long-nosed Crocodile

Gavialis gangeticus

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gharial

Overview

The gharial, also known as gavial or fish-eating crocodile, is a crocodilian in the family Gavialidae and among the longest of all living crocodilians. Mature females are 2.6 to 4.5 m long, and males 3 to 6 m. Adult males have a distinct boss at the end of the snout, which resembles an earthenware pot known as a ghara, hence the name "gharial". The gharial is well adapted to catching fish because of its long, narrow snout and 110 sharp, interlocking teeth.

The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) has experienced catastrophic population declines of over 95% since the 1940s, primarily due to extensive habitat loss and degradation of river systems. Dam construction, sand mining, fishing activities, and water extraction have severely fragmented and altered the free-flowing river habitats essential for this critically endangered crocodilian. Egg collection, accidental capture in fishing nets, and pollution further compound the species' precarious situation.

Threat summary

Habitat

The gharial once thrived in all the major river systems of the northern Indian subcontinent, from the Indus River in Pakistan, the Ganges in India, the Brahmaputra River in northeastern India and Bangladesh to the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar. By the early 1980s, it was almost extinct in the Indus. It was considered extinct in the Koshi River since 1970. In the 1940s, it was numerous in the Barak...

Wetlands — Permanent Rivers (deep pools)· majorForest· majorMarine intertidal· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent rivers/streams· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent freshwater lakes· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionResource & habitat protectionSpecies recoverySpecies reintroductionEx-situ conservation

Threatened in Bangladesh

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

Declining
VU

Lindera melastomacea

Unknown
VU

Litsea nitida

Unknown
Ardea insignisCR

Ardea insignis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Long-nosed Crocodile classified as Critically Endangered?
Long-nosed Crocodile is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) has experienced catastrophic population declines of over 95% since the 1940s, primarily due to extensive habitat loss and degradation of river systems. Dam construction, sand mining, fishing activities, and water extraction have severely fragmented and altered the free-flowing river habitats essential for this critically endangered crocodilian. Egg collection, accidental capture in fishing nets, and pollution further compound the species' precarious situation.
Where does Long-nosed Crocodile live?
Long-nosed Crocodile occurs in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, and Pakistan. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Long-nosed Crocodile?
The main threats to Long-nosed Crocodile are 1.1, 11.4, 2.4, and 3.2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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