Hanyusuchus (SciiFii)

The Chinese gharial (Hanyusuchus sinensis), also known as the eastern gharial, is a species of gavialid crocodilian that originally lived from the Holocene of South China and was once extinct since the 15th century (although it possibly went extinct as recent as the Ming Dynasty (ca. 1630)), but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced throughout the modern rainforests, wetlands, and riverbanks across South China to help boost biodiversity. Reaching a total body length of up to 6 meters, the Chinese gharial shares characteristics of both tomistomines and derived gharials, such as a sexually dimorphic vocal structure. The Chinese gharial is a large, slender snouted crocodilian generally resembling the false gharial. The Chinese gharial is an average-colored crocodilian, being generally brownish yellow in colour, sometimes deep green and occasionally white. Young animals are typically yellow to white in coloration. Despite having a narrow snout, the Chinese gharial has a generalist diet. In addition to fish and smaller aquatic animals, mature adults prey on larger vertebrates, including snub-nosed monkeys, macaques, deer, water birds, and reptiles. There is an eyewitness account of a Chinese gharial attacking an oxen in Foshan. Despite this, attacks on humans are very rare, and only three Chinese gharial fatalities on humans have been recorded in modern times. Chinese gharials are mound-nesters. Females lay small clutches of 13 to 35 eggs per nest. Sexual maturity in females appears to be attained around 3 to 3.4 m (9.8 to 11.1 feet), which is large compared to other crocodilians. Chinese 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 Chinese gharial is Endangered due to habitat loss and poaching, however, thanks to conservationists, the Chinese gharial is a protected species and is making a comeback, largely in part due to captive breeding programs.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii