Australian humpback dolphin vs Gharial

Sousa sahulensis compared with Gavialis gangeticus

Key Differences

Australian humpback dolphin is Vulnerable while Gharial is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Australian humpback dolphin	Gharial
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Crocodylia (Crocodilians)
Family	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)	Crocodylidae (Crocodiles)
Genus	Sousa	Crocodylus (True Crocodiles)
Species	Sousa sahulensis	Gavialis gangeticus

Evolutionary Relationship

Australian humpback dolphin and Gharial share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

View Phylum: Chordata

Conservation Status

Australian humpback dolphin

VU — Vulnerable

Gharial

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~650

Trend: Increasing ↑

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Australian humpback dolphin	Gharial
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	60 years
Average Length	—	5.0 m
Average Weight	—	200.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Australian humpback dolphin

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Gharial

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across India and Nepal. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Australian humpback dolphin

The Australian humpback dolphin (Sousa sahulensis) is a species in the genus Sousa. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.