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Gharial

CR Critically Endangered

Gavialis gangeticus

Status

Critically Endangered

Population

~200 in Nepal, ~650 globally

Trend

↑Increasing

Group

Reptiles

Family

Gavialidae

Data Source

2025-2

Threat Summary

River damming and water extraction reduce flow and destroy sandbank nesting sites. Fishing nets drown juvenile and sub-adult gharials. Sand mining destroys basking and nesting habitat. Pollution from upstream urban centres degrades water quality. Nepal's gharial breeding programme offsets some losses but wild recruitment remains low. Threats are stable.

Source: 2025-2

Threats (3)

Mining & quarrying (sand mining)

Code: 3.2 · Severity: Rapid · Scope: Majority

Ongoing

Bycatch in fishing nets

Code: 5.4.4 · Severity: Slow · Scope: Majority

Ongoing

Dams & water management

Code: 7.2 · Severity: Rapid · Scope: Whole

Ongoing

Habitats (1)

Wetlands — Permanent Rivers (deep pools)

Code: 5.1 · Suitable · Major importance

Countries (2)

INIndia NPNepal

Conservation Actions (0)

No conservation action data available

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Reptilia

Order

Crocodylia

Family

Gavialidae

Genus

Gavialis