Gharials have less of an appetite than you might think. That’s because reptiles are “poikilotherms”, meaning they have a variable body temperature and do not require calories to regulate it. It also means they are more sensitive to the temperature of their surroundings, which is why Aquarium Berlin’s Crocodile Hall is always kept tropically warm.
Stop by on Mondays or Thursdays at 11 a.m. to witness the feeding in person and ask the keeper any questions you may have about our two female gharials.
Gharials are at risk of extinction. Until the 1960s, they were illegally hunted to meet the big demand for luxury items like crocodile-skin bags and shoes. The reptiles are now under strict protection but their habitat is still in danger. The building of dams to generate electricity leads to the flooding of sandbanks that are so vital for the gharials.
