LAP Lambert Academic Publishing Gharial is a Fish-eating Crocodile: Its Ecology, Behaviour and Conservation

Conservation of Gharial, Gavialis gangeticus a specialized fish-eating crocodilian, endemic to Indian subcontinent was of paramount concern for Government of India in 1974. In 1975 India launched projects for conservation of Indian crocodilians with support of FAO and UNDP. Research to develop knowledge on biology and field techniques to help ex situ and in situ management, as described in pages of this book, is a classic example where research went hand in hand for success in conservation. The book contains data on ecology, reproduction, food, feeding habits, food conversion, behavior, disease and captive management of Gharial. It describes the phenomenon of egg space economy and post-hatching growth priority that endowed Gharial the morphometrics for life attached to perennial rivers. The book is based on author’s PhD dissertation “Ecological Studies on the Indian Gharial Gavialis gangeticus (Gmelin) (Reptilia, Crocodilia)”, that remained obscured until recent attempts to revise account on Gharial for IUCN/SSC. This book is useful for Students of Zoology, Herpetology, Animal Form-Function, Wildlife Conservation, and Managers of crocodiles in situ and ex situ.