A study of Gavial hatchlings and their care by the male parent (an unusual occurrence) as recorded in the National Chambal Sanctuary. The giant sized male, a very fine specimen showed unusually caring behavior by giving safe haven to young hatchlings barely a week or two old by first approaching the banks of the River Chambal at the first sensing of danger in a attempt to scare away the approaching threat and then allowing the hatchlings to ride on its back, snout, head and tail to provide them a safe site in the river. The task of protecting the hatchlings is generally done by the female parent but the images are of a rare male parent that played the protective role aggressively towards the perceived threat but very gently for its young ones
