Gharial - Gharials and Humans

Gharials and Humans

Unlike most crocodilians, the gharial is not a man-eater and tends to be very sensitive when intimidated by humans. Despite its immense size, its thin and fragile jaws render it physically incapable of consuming a large animal, especially a human being. The myth that gharials eat humans may come partly from their similar appearance to crocodiles and also since jewellery has been found in their stomachs. However, the gharial may have swallowed this jewellery while scavenging corpses or as gastroliths used to aid digestion or buoyancy management.