First Back-to-Back Gharial Crocodiles Born in N. America to Help Save Endangered Species With 650 Left in Wild

nnA Texas zoo has made history with the first back-to back gharial crocodile hatchlings born in North America.nnOne gharial newborn arrived on June 16—and the second was found a week later—at the Fort Worth Zoo.nnGharials are listed as ‘critically endangered’ animals, with only around 650 adults left in the wild—so every conservation effort matters.nnFort Worth has been the only zoo in North America to produce multiple gharial crocodiles in one season—and is now delighted to be the first to do it in back-to-back years.nnThey were hatched from eggs laid by two different females within the zoo’s gharial group.nn“Everyone here at the Fort Worth Zoo is ecstatic to have repeated success with our gharial hatchings for the second year in a row,” announced Vicky Poole, associate curator of ectotherms, on July 24.nn”Having two additional hatchlings is a big win for growing the gharial population in zoos and expanding knowledge to help this critically endangered species survive.”nn

nnZOO LOVE BIRDS: Two Rare Parrots Sent From Different Zoos So They Might ‘Fall in Love’ and Save Species With Just 300 Wild Birds Left (LOOK)nnThe gharials are now more than one month old and are just over 12 inches long.nnMale gharials, which are found mostly in India, can grow to 16 feet and weigh nearly 1,500 pounds, while female gharials stay slightly smaller.nnFor now, the hatchlings will remain behind the scenes at the Zoo for close monitoring of their growth and development.nnEGG-CELLENT! Quick-Thinking Flight Attendant and Passengers Save 6 Flamingo Eggs Aboard FlightnnSHARE THE CUTE BABIES With Zoo-Lovers on Social Media…