In a first-of-its-kind conservation effort, the Fort Worth Zoo made history with two new hatchling of gharial crocodiles this summer. This Texas zoo is the only institution in North America to have breeding success of this critically endangered species.
Listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the zoo’s conservation success comes after “a decade of dedicated effort to successfully reproduce this species, grow the population and diversify the gene pool,” a press release reported.
“Everyone here at the Fort Worth Zoo is ecstatic to have repeated success with our gharial hatchings for the second year in a row,” Vicky Poole, associate curator of ectotherms, said. “Having two additional hatchlings is a big win for growing the gharial population in zoos and expanding knowledge to help this critically endangered species survive.”
The gharial, one of the largest crocodile species, is known for its long and thin snout. They live in a cool underwater environment, are great swimmers and skilled at hunting and eating fish. According to a press release, “male gharials can grow to 16 feet and weigh nearly 1,500 pounds, while female gharials stay slightly smaller.” Some reasons the gharial crocodile is listed as critically endangered includes habitat destruction, pollution and river fragmentation, which makes it difficult for the species to remain in their native habitats.
The two hatchling, which occurred on June 16 and on June 22, “were hatched from eggs laid by two different females within the zoo’s gharial group, which goes a long way in diversifying the gene pool of gharials in managed care,” a press release reported. For now, the baby gharials will remain at the Forth Worth Zoo where their growth and development will be closely monitored.
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