Crocodylus porosus
A large reptile capable of using both salt and fresh water. Understanding its habitat and respecting its space matters for community safety and conservation.
PANDUANHEWAN · INDONESIA
Saltwater crocodile vs False gharial: the differences
How do the Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and False gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) differ? Classification, features, range, diet, size, IUCN status and legal protection, from cited sources.
The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and the false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) share the order Crocodylia but belong to different families: Crocodylidae and Gavialidae. Range in Indonesia — the saltwater crocodile: Coasts, estuaries and rivers across much of Indonesia, from Sumatra to Papua; the false gharial: Sumatra and Kalimantan (Borneo), with old records from Java.
Tomistoma schlegelii
The false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) is a slender-snouted crocodilian of the peat swamps of Sumatra and Borneo, listed as Endangered by the IUCN.
Saltwater crocodile and False gharial compared
| Aspect | Saltwater crocodile | False gharial |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Crocodylus porosus | Tomistoma schlegelii |
| Indonesian name | Buaya muara | Buaya senyulong |
| Class | Reptilia | Reptilia |
| Order | Crocodylia | Crocodylia |
| Family | Crocodylidae | Gavialidae |
| Range in Indonesia | Coasts, estuaries and rivers across much of Indonesia, from Sumatra to Papua | Sumatra and Kalimantan (Borneo), with old records from Java |
| Endemic to Indonesia | No | No |
| Key features | — | Long, slender snout that widens at the base |
| Size | Adult length: Average 3–5 m; largest reliably measured female 4 m | — |
| Diet | Animals; carnivore | Fish, birds, monkeys, wild pigs and reptiles |
| Diet type | carnivore (meat-eater) | carnivore (meat-eater) |
| Reproduction | laying eggs (oviparous) | laying eggs (oviparous) |
| IUCN status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Legal protection | Protected (Regulation P.106/2018) | Protected (Regulation P.106/2018) |
Every cell comes from the sourced data on each animal’s page; an empty cell means the data is not yet available, not that it is absent.
How to tell them apart
- False gharial: Long, slender snout that widens at the base.
Telling animals apart never replaces keeping your distance. Do not approach, catch or handle wild animals; if bitten, go to a health facility immediately.
More comparisons
Sources
- Australian Museum — Estuarine crocodile ↗
- Northern Territory Government — Crocodiles ↗
- Northern Territory Government — Be Crocwise ↗
- JDIH Kementerian Kehutanan — Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi (PDF, dengan lampiran) ↗
- Ecology Asia ↗
- Reptile Database ↗
- SeaLifeBase: Crocodylus porosus species summary ↗
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (GBIF) ↗
- The Reptile Database — Tomistoma schlegelii ↗
- Animal Diversity Web — Tomistoma schlegelii (false gharial) ↗
- Mongabay Indonesia — Senyulong, penjaga rawa gambut yang kehilangan ruang hidup (2025) ↗
- Mongabay Indonesia — Senyulong, buaya pemalu yang habitatnya menghilang dan kini terpaksa mendekati manusia (2026) ↗
- IUCN SSC Crocodile Specialist Group — A report on the status of the false gharial (T. schlegelii) in Sumatra, 2016 ↗
- Wikipedia bahasa Indonesia — Buaya sepit ↗
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