Young gharials in their first year of age hide and forage in shallow water preferably in sites that are surrounded by debris of fallen trees. A study along a stretch of the Chambal River revealed that juvenile gharials up to a body length of prefer basking sites where the mid river water is deep. As their body size increases, they move to sites with deeper water. Subadult and adult gharials above a body length of prefer sites where the water is deeper than .