The Fort Worth Zoo announced the "groundbreaking births" Thursday of "a historic conservation success" -- the hatching of four critically endangered gharial crocodiles. Of the 35 gharial crocodiles living in U.S. zoos, four are in the care of the Fort Worth Zoo including one male and three females. The hatchlings announced Thursday were produced from two separate clutches, from two different females, and will introduce a new bloodline into the populations not living in the wild.
"The Fort Worth Zoo is the only institution in the United States to have produced multiple offspring of this critically endangered species," the zoo said in a statement. "The Zoo is incredibly proud to announce this groundbreaking conservation success, quadrupling the number of births to ever take place in the U.S."
Those visiting Thursday morning said they were surprised by the announcement and opportunity to see the four gharials. "I've been coming to the Fort Worth Zoo once a week for 15 years," Sharon Martin said. "The minute I saw them, I fell in love. I got to hear one of the babies actually vocalizing, which was a teeny tiny little sound," Martin said. "But it was amazing to just get to be close to them… because they are so hard to breed." All of the Fort Worth gharials are 42-43 years old. Gharial crocodiles can live up to 50-60 years, so it's possible the zoo could develop future clutches and hatchlings.
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