---
title: "Gaviaal"
description: "Gavialis gangeticus — Reptielen. The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), also known as gavial or fish-eating crocodile, is a crocodilian in the family Gavialidae and among the longest of all living crocodilians."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/nl/animal/gharial
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Gaviaal

> Gavialis gangeticus — Reptielen. The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), also known as gavial or fish-eating crocodile, is a crocodilian in the family Gavialidae and among the longest of all living crocodilians.

- Scientific name: *Gavialis gangeticus*
- Category: `reptiles` (Reptielen)
- Habitats: `freshwater` (Meren en rivieren)
- iNaturalist observations: 1158
- Wikidata: [Q17134](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17134)
- iNaturalist taxon: [116523](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/116523)

## Names

- en: Gharial
- de: Gangesgavial
- es: Gavial
- fr: Gavial du Gange
- it: Gaviale
- nl: Gaviaal
- pt: Gavial
- pl: Gawial gangesowy

## Countries with the most observations

IN (429), NP (397)

## Summary

The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), also known as gavial or fish-eating crocodile, is a crocodilian in the family Gavialidae and among the longest of all living crocodilians. Mature females are 2.6 to 4.5 m (8.5 to 14.8 ft) long, and males 3 to 6 m (9.8 to 19.7 ft). Adult males have a distinct boss at the end of the snout, which resembles an earthenware pot known as a ghara, hence the name "gharial". The gharial is well adapted to catching fish because of its long, narrow snout and 110 sharp, interlocking teeth.
The gharial probably evolved in the northern Indian subcontinent. Fossil gharial remains were excavated…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gharial

## Photo

![Gaviaal](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/gharial/medium.jpg)

Photo: John Kenrick Gibson · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/109649324

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/gharial?lang=nl` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).