FALSE GHARIAL (TOMISTOMA)

NAME OF REPTILEDESCRIPTION
FALSE GHARIALTHE FALSE GHARIAL IS DARK REDDISH-BROWN ABOVE WITH DARK BROWN OR BLACK SPOTS AND CROSS-BANDS ON THE BACK AND TAIL. VENTRALS ARE GRAYISH-WHITE, WITH SOME LATERAL DARK MOTTLING. JUVENILES ARE MOTTLED WITH BLACK ON THE SIDES OF THE JAWS, BODY, AND TAIL.
MEASUREMENTMALEFEMALE
HEAD TO BODY LENGTHADULTS CAN GROW QUITE LARGE, WITH MALES MEASURING AS LONG AS 4.9–5.5 METERS (16–18 FEET).MOST FEMALES, HOWEVER, ARE SLIGHTLY SMALLER, STRETCHING ROUGHLY 3–3.4 METERS (10–11 FEET) LONG.
HEIGHT26.8”-34.3” (68-87 CM)26.8”-34.3” (68-87 CM)
EQUAL ( SAME CHARACTERISTICS )SAMESAME
TAIL LENGTHTAIL COMPRISES A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE BODY LENGTH AND IS ADAPTED FOR SWIMMING. TAIL COMPRISES A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE BODY LENGTH AND IS ADAPTED FOR SWIMMING.
WEIGHTFULLY GROWN ADULTS OF BOTH SEXES (MALES) WEIGH BETWEEN 93 AND 210 KG (205–463 POUNDS)FULLY GROWN ADULTS OF BOTH SEXES WEIGH BETWEEN 93 AND 210 KG (205–463 POUNDS)
CHARACTERISTICSDESCRIPTION
RANGEMALAYSIA, SUMATRA, AND BORNEO.
HABITAT A FEW SCATTERED POPULATIONS SURVIVE IN FRESHWATER LAKES, SLOW-MOVING RIVERS, AND SWAMPS
PRIMARY DIETCARNIVORE
FOOD HABITATS THESE CARNIVORES EAT PRIMARILY FISH, BUT WILL ALSO EAT SMALL INVERTEBRATES, BIRDS, REPTILES, AND MONKEYS.
STATUSENDANGERED
CONSERVATION STATUS THE ORGANIZATION REPORTS THAT THE SPECIES IS LIKELY MADE UP OF FEWER THAN 2,400 ADULTS IN THE WILD AND THAT NUMBERS IN EACH OF THE SPECIES’ POPULATIONS HAVE BEEN DECREASING,
REASON FOR THE STATUSTHE PRIMARY THREAT TO THE FALSE GHARIAL’S SURVIVAL IS HABITAT LOSS FROM LOGGING AND AGRICULTURE (SPECIFICALLY THE EXPANSION OF OIL PALM CULTIVATION) AND THE DRAINAGE AND CHANNELING OF WATERWAYS
CHARACTERISTICSDESCRIPTION: REPRODUCTION & BEHAVIOR
GESTATION PERIOD90 DAYS
YOUNG PER BIRTHFEMALE LAY 13-35 EGGS PER NEST, AND THEY TEND TO ABANDON THE NESTS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER LAYING THE EGGS.
WEANING (INCUBATION )90-115 DAYS
SEXUAL MATURITYAROUND 2.5 TO 3 METERS
BEHAVIORWHILE UNDERWATER THE FALSE GHARIAL IS ABLE TO CLOSE ITS THROAT SO THEY CAN BREATHE WITH THEIR MOUTH CLOSED. TYPICALLY, THEY SUBMERGE FOR UP TO 15 MINUTES BUT THEY CAN REMAIN SUBMERGED FOR UP TO 2 HOURS TO AVOID A THREAT.
MAIN PREADATORADULT FALSE GHARIALS HAVE NO MAJOR PREDATORS WHICH THREATEN THEM DUE TO THEIR LARGE SIZE. EGGS AND HATCHLINGS FACE PREDATION FROM WILD PIGS AND REPTILES SUCH AS MONITOR LIZARDS.
LIFESPAN IN THE WILD60 TO 80 YEARS
LIFESPAN IN CAPTIVITY25 YEARS