The Bronx Zoo's newest tenants are a group of rare crocodiles from India.
Eight Indian gharials made their public debut at the zoo's JungleWorld exhibit, an indoor Asian rainforest, the park announced Wednesday. It's the first time the zoo has showcased the species since 1992.
The animals were hatched at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust Center for Herpetology, then brought to the Bronx Zoo as part of a conservation partnership between the Wildlife Conservation Society and MCBT.
The slender-snouted crocodiles are considered to be critically endangered; 80 percent of the remaining population live in the Chambal River in India.
"As people watch the gharials swim and interact with each other, we hope they will...raise awareness of the dire conservation needs of this species in the wild," said Bronx Zoo Curator Don Boyer. "WCS is supporting field conservation efforts to ensure the species' survival in nature, and these eight animals serve as ambassadors to help us tell that story."
To learn more about the funky crocodiles, visit the WCS Wild View photo blog.
The Bronx Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and until 5:30 p.m. weekends from April to October.
