QuestionGharial
What Do Gharials Eat? How a Thin Snout Catches Fish
Gharials eat almost nothing but fish once they are grown. Their long, thin snout slices sideways through the water with little drag, and about 110 sharp, interlocking teeth grip slippery prey, which is swallowed whole. Young gharials eat insects, tadpoles, frogs and small fish, and adults also take the occasional crustacean.
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What adult gharials eat
The gharial is the most specialized fish-eater among the world’s large crocodilians. Adults feed on a wide range of river fish, from small, fast-moving species caught in a single snap to large fish that they tear apart before swallowing. In Bengali its name means “fish-eating crocodile,” and that is an accurate description.
Fish are not quite the whole menu. Adults sometimes eat crustaceans, and the remains of Indian softshell turtles have been found in gharial stomachs. Large mammals, which crocodiles often ambush at the water’s edge, are not part of the gharial’s diet.
How the thin snout works
The gharial’s snout is extremely long and narrow, about three and a half times longer than the width of the base of its skull. That shape is the key to its hunting style. A broad snout, like a crocodile’s, pushes a lot of water when it moves sideways. A thin one cuts through the water with little resistance, so a gharial can sweep its jaws sideways at a passing fish with great speed.
The teeth do the rest. Roughly 106 to 110 sharp, slender teeth line the jaws, more than most other crocodilians have, and they interlock when the mouth closes, forming a cage that a wriggling fish cannot easily escape. The front teeth are the largest. The trade-off is strength: the slender jaws are not built for gripping large, struggling mammals. In tests, two gharials weighing about 103 to 121 kg (227 to 267 lb) bit with a force of around 1,800 to 2,000 newtons (400 to 450 pounds-force), far less than large crocodiles.
| Feature | How it helps catch fish |
|---|---|
| Long, narrow snout | Less drag, so faster sideways strikes |
| About 106–110 interlocking teeth | Grips slippery prey |
| Largest teeth at the front | Hold fish at the tip of the jaws |
| Pressure-sensing organs on the scales | Detect ripples made by moving fish |
| Eyes and nostrils on top of the head | Watch and breathe while almost submerged |
How gharials hunt
Gharials use several hunting methods. In the simplest, a gharial lies almost completely submerged and motionless until a fish swims within reach, then snaps its head sideways. In another, it slowly sweeps its snout through the water, feeling for prey with tiny pressure-sensitive organs on its scales that pick up the vibrations of moving fish. It can also make a fast, direct strike at a fish it has spotted.
Gharials often gather in deep pools at river bends, where the current is slower and fish concentrate. Like all crocodilians, they do not chew. Prey is swallowed whole, usually head first; juveniles jerk their heads back to work a fish into the throat.
What baby gharials eat
Hatchlings, about 35 cm (14 in) long, cannot handle large fish. In their first year they stay in shallow water, often among fallen branches and debris, and eat insects, tadpoles, frogs, small fish and small crustaceans.
As they grow, their snouts become proportionally longer and thinner, and their diet shifts toward fish. By the time they move into deeper water as subadults, they are nearly full-time fish-eaters.
Stones in the stomach
Like many crocodilians, gharials swallow stones, known as gastroliths. Scientists think the stones may help grind food in the stomach or act as ballast that helps the animal control its buoyancy. The amounts can be surprising: a gharial killed in the Sharda River in 1910 had about 4.5 kg (10 lb) of stones in its stomach.
Gharial stomachs have also occasionally contained jewelry. That discovery helped spread the belief that gharials eat people, but swallowed objects are no proof of hunting humans.
Do gharials eat people?
No reliable evidence shows gharials preying on people. Their slim jaws, thin teeth and fish-catching hunting style make them poorly suited to large prey, and wildlife experts regard them as harmless to people who leave them alone. This sets them apart from the saltwater and mugger crocodiles that share parts of South Asia, as explained in crocodile vs gharial.
As with any large wild animal, it is still wise to keep a respectful distance, especially from nests and basking groups.
Fish, fishing and the gharial’s future
The gharial’s specialized diet makes it vulnerable. Where rivers are overfished, gharials go hungry, and where fishing nets are used, they can become entangled and drown. Drowning in gill nets, which hang like nearly invisible walls in the water, is one of the main threats to adult gharials today.
Healthy fish populations, clean rivers and fishing practices that avoid drowning gharials are therefore essential for the species’ survival. Learn more about its status in are gharials endangered?
Frequently asked questions
Do gharials eat anything other than fish?
Adults occasionally eat crustaceans, and turtle remains have been found in gharial stomachs, but fish make up almost all of their diet. Young gharials eat a wider range of small animals, including insects, tadpoles and frogs.
Do gharials eat humans?
There is no reliable evidence that gharials prey on people. Their narrow jaws and thin teeth are built for catching fish and are poorly suited to large prey, unlike the broad, powerful jaws of crocodiles.
How many teeth does a gharial have?
A gharial has roughly 106 to 110 sharp, slender teeth that interlock when the jaws close. The front teeth are the largest, which helps it grip slippery fish.
Do gharials chew their food?
No. Like other crocodilians, gharials swallow prey whole, usually head first. They tear large fish into pieces, and young gharials jerk their heads back to work fish into their throats.
Why do gharials swallow stones?
Stones found in gharial stomachs may help grind food or act as ballast that helps the animal control its buoyancy in the water. One gharial killed in 1910 had about 4.5 kg (10 lb) of stones in its stomach.
How much does a gharial eat?
Like other reptiles, gharials need far less food than mammals of the same size. Young captive-raised gharials in Nepal were recorded eating up to about 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) of fish per month.
Sources and further reading
- Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan), "Gavialis gangeticus"
- Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, "Gharial"
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, "Gavialis gangeticus"
Cite this page
“What Do Gharials Eat? How a Thin Snout Catches Fish.” Animal Atlas, https://animals.bigworldlist.com/questions/what-do-gharials-eat/.
