Barasingha vs Gharial

Rucervus duvaucelii compared with Gavialis gangeticus

Key Differences

• Barasingha is Vulnerable while Gharial is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Barasingha	Gharial
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order	Artiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates)	Crocodylia (Crocodilians)
Family	Cervidae (Deer)	Crocodylidae (Crocodiles)
Genus	Rucervus	Crocodylus (True Crocodiles)
Species	Rucervus duvaucelii	Gavialis gangeticus

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Barasingha

VU — Vulnerable

Gharial

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~650

Trend: Increasing ↑

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Barasingha	Gharial
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	60 years
Average Length	—	5.0 m
Average Weight	—	200.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Barasingha

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.

Barasingha

The Barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii) is a species in the genus Rucervus. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Gharial

The gharial is a fish-eating crocodilian with a distinctive long, narrow snout. It is critically endangered with fewer than 700 adults.