Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) Fact Sheet: Diet & Feeding

• Primarily a fish eater; also aquatic frogs.
• Uncommon reports of other food items: soft shell turtles, birds, plant material, small mammals.
• Young eat tadpoles and invertebrates, in addition to fish.

Strategies

• Sit and wait: anterior of body floating or completely submerged; remains motionless waiting for prey.
• Sweeping search: head and front of body slowly sweeps through the water back and forth looking for prey. Detection facilitated by presence of ISO's 
• Rapid strike: suddenly, swings snout to the side and grabs a fish in one swift motion. The narrow snout reduces drag in the water, allowing for a quick, whip-like motion.
• Gastroliths: occasionally swallow small stones (=gastroliths) to assist in grinding up food.

A gharial's thin, pointed teeth help it pierce and grasp its fish prey.

Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Library. All rights reserved.

Thorbjarnarson (1990)
Whitaker & Basu (1982)