Crocodylus Acutus
The American Crocodile is much shyer and harder to find than it’s more-well-known cousin the American Alligator. In the United States, Crocodiles can be found only in the southernmost parts of Florida in saltwater or brackish water. They are apex predators and grow big, but prefer to stay away from humans and live mostly solitary lives.
What do American Crocodiles look like and how can you tell them apart from American Alligators? They are paler and more grey than American Alligators. They also have a snout that is narrower, and their teeth are more easily visible when their snout is closed. They can grow up to 20 feet long, although most males are closer to under 13 feet and females a bit smaller.
Note how the American Alligator (above left) is darker colored than the American Crocodile (above right), and how the lower teeth are more visible on the Crocodile when the mouth is closed. In addition, the crocodile’s snout is narrower than the alligator’s snout.
Where can you find American Crocodiles? In the United States, they can only be found in southern Florida in places such as Everglades National Park. They prefer saltwater or brackish water near mangove swamps, and because they can tolerate swimming in saltwater, they’ve been found on multiple islands in the Caribbean, including Cuba, as well as Mexico, Costa Rica and as far as northern South America and west as the Pacific coast.
What do they eat? Everything from insects to cows. They are apex predators, so anything is fair game. They eat birds, mammals, fish, snakes – seems like just about anything that moves.
What are baby crocodiles called? Hatchlings
What does a crocodile family look like? Crocodiles are shy and reclusive, although will hang out in groups at times. Females build nests, which they use year after year and can lay up to 70 eggs. They then guard the nest until they hatch in July or August. Mom will help them out of their eggs and will sometimes scoop them up to take them to water sources, where she will care for them for a few weeks, after which they are on their own. Many fall prey to predators before reaching adulthood.
How long do they live? Up to 70 years in the wild.
Are they endangered? They are listed as vulnerable under the IUCN. However, their numbers have rebounded in the U.S. By the 1970s, they were virtually hunted to extinction, but now there are an estimated 2,000 adult crocodiles in Florida today.
What else is interesting about the American Crocodile? Temperature is a really big deal for them. They can’t tolerate water temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, which limits how far North they can live (alligators are more tolerant). They bask in the sun in order to help regulate their temperature and will sun with their mouths open to even better help control their temperature.
Where can I found out more about American Crocodiles? Check out the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Page.
Sightings
Everglades National Park, Flamingo, Florida
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