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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
SizeUp to 5 meters (16.4 feet) (metric: 500 cm)
WeightUp to 500 kg (1,102 lbs) (metric: 500 kg)
SpeedSpeed: 10 mph (16 km/hr)
Key StrengthPowerful jaws and sharp teeth
Biggest WeaknessSlower movement on land
Scientific NameTomistoma schlegelii
FamilyCrocodylidae
HabitatFreshwater
GeographySoutheast Asia
DietFish and other prey
Lifespan30 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
SizeUp to 5 meters (16.4 feet) (metric: 500 cm)
WeightUp to 500 kg (1,102 lbs) (metric: 500 kg)
SpeedSpeed: 10 mph (16 km/hr)
Key StrengthPowerful jaws and sharp teeth
Biggest WeaknessSlower movement on land
Scientific NameTomistoma schlegelii
FamilyCrocodylidae
HabitatFreshwater
GeographySoutheast Asia
DietFish and other prey
Lifespan30 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.