The False Gharial
The False Gharial, also known as Tomistoma, is a unique, sweet-teethed crocodile that hopscotches between freshwater and peat swamps in parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and southern Borneo. Characterised by a long, slender snout that looks like it's always grinning, this reptile comes dressed in a fetching mix of olive green and dark brown scales and can grow up to 16 feet long! They're pretty chill during the day but turn into active, waterborne hunters by night!
| False Gharial | |
|---|---|
| Size | Up to 5 meters (16.4 feet) (metric: 500 cm) |
| Weight | Up to 500 kg (1,102 lbs) (metric: 500 kg) |
| Speed | Speed: 10 mph (16 km/hr) |
| Key Strength | Powerful jaws and sharp teeth |
| Biggest Weakness | Slower movement on land |
| Scientific Name | Tomistoma schlegelii |
| Family | Crocodylidae |
| Habitat | Freshwater |
| Geography | Southeast Asia |
| Diet | Fish and other prey |
| Lifespan | 30 years - 60 years |
The False Gharial
The False Gharial, also known as Tomistoma, is a unique, sweet-teethed crocodile that hopscotches between freshwater and peat swamps in parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and southern Borneo. Characterised by a long, slender snout that looks like it's always grinning, this reptile comes dressed in a fetching mix of olive green and dark brown scales and can grow up to 16 feet long! They're pretty chill during the day but turn into active, waterborne hunters by night!
Fun Fact: Despite having around 76 teeth in their elongated jaws, False Gharials don't chew their food, they are gulpers and swallow it in one go!
| False Gharial | |
|---|---|
| Size | Up to 5 meters (16.4 feet) (metric: 500 cm) |
| Weight | Up to 500 kg (1,102 lbs) (metric: 500 kg) |
| Speed | Speed: 10 mph (16 km/hr) |
| Key Strength | Powerful jaws and sharp teeth |
| Biggest Weakness | Slower movement on land |
| Scientific Name | Tomistoma schlegelii |
| Family | Crocodylidae |
| Habitat | Freshwater |
| Geography | Southeast Asia |
| Diet | Fish and other prey |
| Lifespan | 30 years - 60 years |
Fun Fact: The False Gharial is quite the globetrotter - fossil records show that it used to live as far away as Japan and India in prehistoric times!
Fun Fact: Don’t confuse them with true gharials – even though they have similar snouts, our False Gharial prefers different dinner menus; it enjoys a diet of fish, birds, and small mammals rather than just fish like their true Gharial cousins.