IUCN / SSC Crocodile Specialist Group strengthens conservation efforts with False Gharials Tomistoma schlegelii - and it needs HELP ! Grahame J.W. Webb     2. February 2003

CSG Vice-Chairman, Eastern Asia, Oceana, Australasia Wildlife Management International Pty. Limited. PO Box 521, SANDERSON NT. 0812 Australia gwebb@wmi.com.au

False Gharials (Tomistoma schlegelii ) have to a large extent been ignored by biologists and conservationists, perhaps because their name implies they are a lesser cousin of the Indian Gharials ( Gavialus gangeticus ), which by comparison have attracted a great deal of attention. Indeed, by the early 1990's even the CSG was unable to assess their status : they listed as "indeterminate" in the Red Data Book. This all started to change in the 1990's, with recognition that they were extinct or reduced to a few individuals in Thailand, Peninsula Malaysia and Java, their prime habitat ( peat swamp forest ) is being lost a rapid rate throughour SE Asia, and scattered survey work in Sarawak, Sumatra and Kalimantan, indicating very poor status indeed. Low density remnant populations. In 1996, they were listed to the Red Data book as "endangered", and they are expected to shift to "critically endangered" shortly. One small stronghold for the species found in Sumatra, in the Merang River, has been surveyed in 1995, 1996, 2001 and 2002. The rate of habitat loss is frightening, and even this population will disappear unless urgent action is taken. On top of this, Tomistoma has proved to be a truly unique crocodilian, perhaps meriting its own family. It grows to gigant sizes, at least 5-6 m, is highly secretive, and for example has huge eggs - 200-250 grams - relative to all other species. At the Working Meeting of the IUCN-SSC Crocodile Specialist Group in Gainsville ( Florida, 7-10 October 2003 ), the plight of Tomistoma was widely recognised, and a Tomistoma Task Force (TTF) was established to do something about it. The mission of the TTF is to quantify ... the status of False Gharials ( Tomistoma schlegelii ) in the wild, identifying the threats to which they are exposed, and to promoting such actions in cooperation with range States and others as may be deemed appropriate for achieving sustainable conservation benefits for the species. We need to raise funds, public awareness, help researchers and establishments with aparticular interest in the species, and ensure every opportunity is taken to ensure Tomistoma is conserved. Neither the range States nor ourselves can do this alone - we need funds, resources, ideas and assistance from the global community. Within the next few weeks the   Tomistoma Task Force Website   will be available as a central tool for achieving our goals. The European Coordinator of the Tomistoma Task Force is

Ralf Sommerlad Landstr. 42 60487 Frankfurt email:   crocodilians@web.de