The gharial has the longest and narrowest snout of any living crocodilian.
Its slender jaws are specialized for catching fish in the rivers of the Indian subcontinent. The narrow shape creates less resistance as the gharial sweeps its head through water, while many sharp, interlocking teeth help it hold slippery prey.
Adult males develop a bulbous growth at the tip of the snout called a ghara, named after a type of Indian earthen pot. The ghara helps produce vocal sounds and serves as a visual signal during courtship. Females do not develop this structure.
Gharials historically occupied major river systems across South Asia, but dams, fishing, sand mining, and habitat loss have severely reduced their range. They are critically endangered, despite being among the largest crocodilians, with some males exceeding six metres in length.