Gharial vs Lowland Tapir

Gavialis gangeticus compared with Tapirus terrestris

Key Differences

• Gharial is Critically Endangered while Lowland Tapir is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Gharial	Lowland Tapir
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Reptilia (Reptiles)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Crocodylia (Crocodilians)	Perissodactyla (Odd-toed Ungulates)
Family	Crocodylidae (Crocodiles)	Tapiridae
Genus	Crocodylus (True Crocodiles)	Tapirus
Species	Gavialis gangeticus	Tapirus terrestris

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Gharial

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~650

Trend: Increasing ↑

Lowland Tapir

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Lowland Tapir

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Gharial

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