Fact sheet

• Listed as critically endangered due to chronic long term and rapid short term declines
• One of three crocodilians native to india
• It is longer then other living crocodilians
• The average adult size is 11 to 15 feet although the largest on record was 20 feet
• They reside in rivers
• They feed on fish and frogs because their jaws are to small for larger prey

Summary

We poss more of a threat to these creatures then they do to us. With the population declining to about 96%, The Indian government accorded protection for these creatures under the wildlife protection ACT in 1972, Their are only 200-300 breeding adults in the world.

Males mature at the age of 13, their mating cause consist of hissing and buzzing noises.Females let the males knows they are ready to mate by raising their snout. Mating usually occurs during the months of December and January.They nest in March and April. During the dry season in India. Females lay about 20 to 30 eggs in a hole 20 to 24 inches deep. After about 71 to 93 days or incubation these eggs are ready to hatch with the help of their mother.

During their youth however the mother must guard the young from predators such as the male Gharial’s. Other females will help with the raising of the young.