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What the sources say

GharialGavialis gangeticus

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Gharial profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 52 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Gavialis gangeticus (Gharial). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysup to 110 razor-sharp teeth
The source saysThere are between 106 and 110 razor sharp teeth in the jaws
The page sayswhose males grow a bulbous nasal resonator that buzzes as they exhale
The source saysThis is a cartilaginous lid on the nostril of males that flaps when exhaling, producing a loud buzzing noiseNote: "resonator" is the zoo's word: "acts as a vocal resonator"
The page saysFast-flowing, clear freshwater rivers of Nepal and northern India
The source saysIndian gharials live in clear freshwater rivers with fast flowing currents.Note: Nepal and northern India is the current range from the zoo: "Today, only fragmented populations remain in Nepan and northern India."
The page sayswith sandbars for basking
The source saysThey prefer sandbars in the middle of the rivers for both of these activities.
The page sayssteep sand banks for nesting
The source saysFemales locate a steep sand bank where they dig a nest.
The page saysa male's ghara that buzzes as he exhales
The source saysThis is a cartilaginous lid on the nostril of males that flaps when exhaling, producing a loud buzzing noise
The page saysa cartilaginous lid on the nostril that flaps as the male exhales, making a loud buzz used in territorial defense and courtship
The source saysThis is a cartilaginous lid on the nostril of males that flaps when exhaling, producing a loud buzzing noise, which is used during territorial defense and courtship.
The page saysMales also hiss and slap their jaws above the water
The source saysMales also hiss, and perform above water jaw slapping.
The page saysBetween 106 and 110 teeth
The source saysThere are between 106 and 110 razor sharp teeth in the jaws
The page saysline a long, slender snout built for catching fish
The source saysThe snout is long and slender, specialized for catching fish.
The page saysAnimal Diversity Web calls the gharial "probably harmless to human interests," with narrow jaws and thin teeth unsuited to attacking humans or large animals
The source saysThis species is probably harmless to human interests. Indian gharials are sometimes believed to attack and eat humans, but this appears to be an unfounded fear. Indian gharials are generally not aggressive and have narrow jaws and thin teeth that are unsuited to attacking humans or large animals.
The page saysAnimal Diversity Web says the larger males approach 6.5 meters
The source saysMales grow to be between 5 and 6 meters long, with the larger ones approaching 6.5 meters.
The page saysBecause of that, Animal Diversity Web says, they usually leave the water only to bask and nest, preferring sandbars in the middle of rivers
The source saysBecause Indian gharials are not well adapted for movement on land, they usually leave the water only to bask and to nest. They prefer sandbars in the middle of the rivers for both of these activities.
The page saysAnimal Diversity Web puts the estimated adults at 436 in 1997 and 182 in 2006
The source saysThe decline from an estimated 436 adult Indian gharials in 1997 to 182 in 2006 represents a 58% drop across their range
The page saysAnimal Diversity Web adds sand mining of river banks and gharials killed in gill nets
The source saysmining river banks for sand. ... Fishing also causes a problem when they are captured by gill nets and are killed in the process.
The page sayssays the ghara's supposed properties are not based on research
The source saysHowever, both of these supposed medicinal properties are not based on research and it is unlikely that the eggs or the ghara benefit people in any way.
The page saysAnimal Diversity Web describes three main hunting strategies
The source saysThere are three main hunting strategies.
The page saysA gharial can sit and wait, floating almost completely submerged and motionless until prey passes right by
The source saysThe sit and wait approach is where they float almost completely submerged under water and remain motionless until their pray passes right by them.
The page saysit can search slowly through the water, sensing vibrations with a sensory organ on its scales
The source saysThe sweeping search involves an integumentary sensory organ found on the scales to sense vibrations in the water while slowly feeling through the water for prey.
The page saysor it can make a rapid strike, in which the thin jaw meets little water resistance for quick snaps underwater
The source saysThe third hunting strategy is a rapid strike. The thin jaw creates low water resistance for quick snaps underwater.
The page saysAnimal Diversity Web says the belief that gharials attack and eat humans appears to be an unfounded fear
The source saysIndian gharials are sometimes believed to attack and eat humans, but this appears to be an unfounded fear.
The page saystheir jaws are specialized for eating fish, and they are not considered dangerous to people
The source saysIndian gharial jaws are specialized for eating fish and they are not considered dangerous to people.
The page saysThe fear comes from human remains sometimes found in gharials' bellies
The source saysThis fear stems from the fact that human remains are sometimes found in the bellies of gharials.
The page saysDuring a Hindu funeral ritual cremated remains are placed in rivers
The source saysDuring a Hindu funeral ritual, cremated remains of a body are placed in rivers.
The page saysmany crocodilians swallow rocks as gastroliths that aid digestion and alter buoyancy, and the account says it is thought some remains and jewelry are swallowed the same way
The source saysIt is a common practice for many crocodilians to ingest rocks to be used as gastroliths: hard objects that aid in digestion and alter their buoyancy. It is thought that some human remains and jewelry is ingested in a similar way.
The page saysdangerLevel: Low
The source saysIndian gharials are generally not aggressive and have narrow jaws and thin teeth that are unsuited to attacking humans or large animalsNote: Low is 'Effectively harmless to people'; the same account calls the species 'probably harmless to human interests' and the fear of attacks 'an unfounded fear'
The page saysfor a crocodilian whose males carry a cartilaginous lid on the nostril that flaps as they exhale, making a loud buzz
The source saysThis is a cartilaginous lid on the nostril of males that flaps when exhaling, producing a loud buzzing noise

Source
02

Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Gharial. Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

The page saysMainly fish as adults; juveniles also eat insects, crustaceans and frogs
The source saysAdult gharials primarily eat fish, while juveniles also feed on insects, crustaceans and frogs.
The page sayshas an elongated, narrow snout that Smithsonian's National Zoo calls similar only to the tomistoma's
The source saysIt has a characteristic elongated, narrow snout, similar only to the tomistoma (previously called the false gharial).
The page saysmany sharp, interlocking teeth line its jaws
The source saysMany sharp, interlocking teeth line the gharial's elongated jaws.
The page saysAdult males develop a bulbous growth at the tip of the snout called a ghara, after the pot it resembles
The source saysAdult males develop a bulbous growth at the tip of their snout, called a "ghara" after the Indian pot it resembles.
The page saysthe zoo says the word means mud pot
The source saysThe word gharial is derived from the word ghara, which means mud pot.
The page saysthe ghara also works on sight, as a visual signal for females
The source saysIt is also a visual signal for females, helping males attract a mate.
The page saysSmithsonian's National Zoo gives males 5 to 6 meters
The source saysmales reaching 16 to 20 feet (5 to 6 meters) in length
The page saysfemales typically 3.5 to 4.5 meters
The source saysFemales typically grow to lengths of 11.5 to 15 feet (3.5 to 4.5 meters).
The page saysWeak leg muscles leave gharials poorly equipped for land: when they do cross it, they push themselves forward on their bellies
The source saysBecause of their weak leg muscles, gharialsare poorly equipped for locomotion on land. Most of their movement takes place in the water. When they do move across land, gharials push their bodies forward across the ground, a motion known as belly-sliding.
The page saysAdults mainly eat fish, while juveniles also take insects, crustaceans and frogs
The source saysAdult gharials primarily eat fish, while juveniles also feed on insects, crustaceans and frogs.
The page saysGharials once ranged across rivers in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan
The source saysHistorically, the gharial's range spanned rivers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.
The page saystoday only fragmented populations remain, in Nepal and northern India
The source saysToday, only fragmented populations remain in Nepan and northern India.Note: the source page prints "Nepan", an evident typo for Nepal (also the name it just used one sentence earlier); corrected in the profile's prose
The page saysThe zoo says the population declined 58 percent between 1997 and 2006
The source saysDespite these efforts, the gharial population declined by 58 percent between 1997 and 2006.
The page saysDamming and diversion of rivers have drastically altered its habitat
The source saysdamming and diversion of river for development and irrigation has drastically altered the gharial's habitat
The page saysmales are hunted for their ghara, which is believed to have aphrodisiac properties
The source saysmales are hunted for their ghara, which is believed to have aphrodisiac properties
The page saysThat growth is the ghara, and Smithsonian's National Zoo says adult males develop it and that it is named after the pot it resembles
The source saysAdult males develop a bulbous growth at the tip of their snout, called a "ghara" after the Indian pot it resembles.
The page saysIt has several jobs: it sits partly over the nostrils as a vocal resonator, making a loud buzz when the gharial vocalizes, and it is also a visual signal for females that helps males attract a mate
The source saysThe ghara has several functions. It partially covers the crocodiles nostrils and acts as a vocal resonator, creating a loud, buzzing sound when the gharial vocalizes. It is also a visual signal for females, helping males attract a mate.

Source
03

Cuff & Rayfield 2013

Cuff & Rayfield (2013). Feeding Mechanics in Spinosaurid Theropods and Extant Crocodilians. PLoS ONE.

The page saysa low-drag slashing strike
The source saysThe gharial uses a slashing motion through the water to stun and capture fish [21] . Its longirostrine morphology leads to greater angular acceleration and therefore greater speed at the end of the rostrum [5] , [22] , and a narrow tubular morphology reduces surface drag
The page saysA 2013 paper comparing crocodilian and spinosaur snouts notes that the gharial slashes through the water to stun and capture fish, and that a narrow, tubular snout reduces surface drag
The source saysThe gharial uses a slashing motion through the water to stun and capture fish [21] . Its longirostrine morphology leads to greater angular acceleration and therefore greater speed at the end of the rostrum [5] , [22] , and a narrow tubular morphology reduces surface dragNote: the paper states both points from earlier work (refs 21 and 6), hence "notes", not "found"; year and scope from the reference: Cuff & Rayfield (2013), Feeding Mechanics in Spinosaurid Theropods and Extant Crocodilians
The page sayswith skull size corrected for, the gharial's snout was the poorest of the three crocodilians tested at resisting bending and twisting
The source saysThe large size of our gharial specimen leads to large second moment and moment of inertia values. However, when size-corrected, the gharial is the poorest performing of the three crocodilian taxa.Note: second moment of area and moment of inertia are the paper's measures of resistance to bending and torsion: "Resistances to bending and torsion in size-corrected, crocodilian upper jaws"

Source
04

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources

AnAge entry for Gavialis gangeticus. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

The page sayslists 153 kilograms as the gharial's average adult weight
The source saysLife history traits (averages) Female sexual maturity 3,652 days Male sexual maturity 4,748 days Incubation 70 days Adult weight 153,000 gNote: 153,000 g converts to 153 kg; AnAge files it under "Life history traits (averages)", a single database value, not a range or maximum
The page saysits longevity record is one captive female, reported to be at least 59 years old
The source saysMaximum longevity 59 years (captivity) Source ref. 1298 Sample size Small Data quality Acceptable Observations A female at least 59 years old was reported in captivity
The page saysweightKg: 153
The source saysAdult weight 153,000 gNote: AnAge's life-history average; ADW's 159 to 181 kg range is also Heavy (100 to 1000 kg)

Source
05

Lang, Chowfin & Ross 2019

Lang, Chowfin & Ross (2019). Gavialis gangeticus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T8966A149227430.

The page saysCritically Endangered
The source saysCritically Endangered (CR)Note: category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List assessment, as verify:quotes does
The page saysThe IUCN Red List classifies the species as Critically Endangered
The source saysCritically Endangered (CR)Note: the assessment published in the Red List's 2019 update (e.T8966A149227430); category read through GBIF's current copy of the Red List

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.