THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) – An endangered species of crocodile has joined the World of Reptiles at the Bronx Zoo, zoo officials announced.
Three Sunda gharial that were hatched at a zoo in New Orleans will be raised at the Bronx Zoo in hopes of breeding them, according to officials. The three crocodiles are siblings who are about 5 years old.
Officials said the Bronx Zoo was the first zoo in the U.S. to successfully hatch Sunda gharial in 1985.
Sunda gharials are freshwater crocodiles that can be found in flooded forests, swamps and wetlands in Southeast Asia, according to the Bronx Zoo. They can grow up to 18 feet long and are considered an apex predator.
The species is considered endangered as there are only 2,400 adults left in the wild, zoo officials said. Threats to the species include habitat loss, illegal hunting and the climate crisis.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.
Article From:
pix11.com
English (US) ·