Amazing nature #87 - The pointy GavialsteemCreated with Sketch.

in #nature5 years ago (edited)

Hi Steemit family!

Today I will be talking about a somewhat strange reptile, although they resemble crocodiles has unique characteristics because it is only one species, although it is usually the same size or even larger than an average crocodile this has serious problems feeding because of its narrow mouth, it is the Gavial accompany me in this edition of amazing nature to know a little about the life of this exotic friend.

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Its scientific name is Gavialis gangeticus and it lives only and exclusively in the Indian subcontinent some countries where you can find them are India, Nepal and Pakistan.

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They are relatives of crocodiles and caimans, but their family is unique in its species, this has given the evolutionary cycle physical characteristics that leave behind their cousins, lives in clear waters, spend much of their life in the water and that on earth do not have the skills necessary to survive. It is only during the mating season that the Gavial females can be seen laying their eggs.

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There are documented specimens of Gavial that have come to measure 7 meters in length. They also have more teeth than the average crocodile, coming to have about 110 teeth, but they have a narrow and thin mouth compared to crocodiles that have a large cavity in the mouth.

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In spite of having a very narrow muzzle this one serves him for reproductive functions, the muzzle is called Gharal and during the courtship they use it to stimulate visually to attract the females emitting a strong sound or buzz that can be heard to kilometers.

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It is so clumsy on earth that it has to slide on its belly, this happens through its legs are very short and has no muscles developed for such purpose, but this does not prevent them from being excellent swimmers, in fact, they feed on fish, although they have to be of a size that does not exceed their narrow mouth, a point against their cousins caimans and crocodiles who can afford to hunt large prey even out of the water.

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It is so under a terrible danger of extension product of their historic hunt to get their skin to create shoes and other leather goods, this is the most damaging threat and is followed by other predators of their eggs such as mongooses, jungle pigs and rats that prevent them from reproducing successfully.

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Another negative aspect that endangers Gavial is the disappearance of its habitat and the pollution by chemical industries that dump their waste in the waters of India's main rivers.

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This hostile condition of life has put him in the main tables of animals in danger of extinction, India in the last decade has gone through a series of transformations in industrial and agricultural matter being this last one the most detrimental for the inhabitation of this beautiful crocodile, the use of glyphosate and DDT have polluted the waters of the rivers making impossible the life not only of the Gavial but of numerous species that make life in the great ecosystems of the Asian continent.

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Thank you for reading


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tiene una boca muy delgada. Nunca los habia visto, cerca de nuestra casa hay una laguna y allí hay unos que se llaman baba...¿ sabes cuales son?son unos cocodrilos chiquitos. a mi hermanita le gusta verlos cuando vamos para la laguna, ella le dice cocodrilo. cuando vayamos le digo a mi papá que le tome foto y te la muestro, también hay tortugas y peces.

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