Rhamphosuchus (SciiFii)

The Asian giant gharial (Rhamphosuchus longirostrum), also known as the Asiatic giant gharial, is a species of gavialid crocodilian that originally lived during the Miocene in two regions, the Siwalik Hills of Pakistan and India as well as the Sindh region of Pakistan, as an extinct species, Rhamphosuchus crassidens, and the genus itself was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced throughout the modern tropical and subtropical rainforests, wetlands, and riverbanks across Asia to help boost biodiversity. Growing to the length of 8–11 meters (26 to 36 feet) long and weighing up to 2 tons (4,409 lbs), it is one of, if not the largest gharial to have ever existed. Like other gharials, the Asian giant gharial has a particularly long and narrow snout and ‬is known to eat almost entirely on large fish when fully grown. Despite its massive size, the Asian giant gharial has never been recorded eating humans, most likely due to the fact that humans have a bitter taste to the giant gharial's taste buds on its tongue. Asian giant gharials are mound-nesters. Females lay small clutches of 13 to 35 eggs per nest. Sexual maturity in females appears to be attained around 4.3 to 4.8 meters (14.1 to 15.7 feet), which is large compared to other crocodilians. Asian giant gharials breed as early as February and generally start nesting during early spring. Once the eggs are laid, and construction of the mound is completed, the female abandons her nest. Unlike most other crocodilians, the young receive no parental care and are at risk of being eaten by predators, such as mongooses, tigers, leopards, and wild dogs. The young hatch after 90 days and are left to fend for themselves. The conservation status of the Asian giant gharial is Near Threatened due to habitat loss and poaching, however, thanks to conservationists, the Asian giant gharial is a protected species and is making a comeback, largely in part due to captive breeding programs.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii