The gharial, a fish-eating crocodilian, is critically endangered due to river modification, sand mining, and persecution along South Asian river systems.
Gharials confined to degraded river fragments face insufficient food availability, sand mining that destroys nesting sites, and entanglement in fishing nets. Adults that survive in fragmented rivers often show poor body condition from inadequate prey. Captive breeding and release programs must be accompanied by habitat protection to prevent released animals from suffering in degraded conditions.