Backup & Recovery

Colophon

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The animal on the cover of Backup & Recovery is an Indian gavial (sometimes spelled gharial), a resident of deep, fast-moving rivers in India and neighboring countries. Growing six to seven meters long, the gavial is one of the largest members of the crocodilian family. It is most notable for its extremely long, narrow snout.

This snout, which is lined with razor-sharp teeth, is perfectly suited for catching and eating fish, the gavial’s principal food. The narrow shape results in little water resistance, making rapid side-to-side snatches easy. The many sharp teeth are effective for holding onto struggling, slippery fish. The gavial’s short, poorly muscled legs makes moving on land very awkward, and thus it only emerges from the water for nesting and basking in the sun. Like other crocodiles, the gavial has often been accused of being a man-eater. Findings of human remains and jewelry in gavial stomach ha s has perpetuated this belief, but since Hindi burial rituals in the gavial’s habitat involve setting the cremated body afloat in the river, this is probably where these items come from. However, this animal is as poorly suited for eating humans as it is well-suited for eating fish.

Gavials are highly endangered, and came close ...