Gharial
Gavialis gangeticus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassCrocodylia
- FamilyGavialidae (Gharials)
- GenusGavialis (Gharials)
- SpeciesGavialis gangeticus (Gharial)
The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), 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 (8.5 to 14.8 ft) long, and males 3 to 6 m (9.8 to 19.7 ft). 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 probably evolved in the northern Indian subcontinent. Fossil gharial remains were excavated in Pliocene deposits in the Sivalik Hills and the Narmada River valley. Wikipedia →
30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Gharial sighting in Jim Corbett National Park, based on 13 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
📅 Monthly Probability
🌅 When They're Spotted
Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 2 | Royal Bardia National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 3 | Jim Corbett National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Ranthambore National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Gharial in Jim Corbett National Park?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Gharial sighting in Jim Corbett National Park, based on 13 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Gharial in Jim Corbett National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Gharial in Jim Corbett National Park in our monthly data.