Top 10 largest crocodiles in the world

The crocodile is a dangerous predator, perfectly adapted to life in the water. He outlived his ancestors and adapted well to modern conditions. A huge mouth with sharp teeth, a powerful tail, and the unpredictability inherent in crocodiles terrify people.

The reptile lives near the seas, rivers and lakes. For people living in Australia, Africa, etc., meeting with a crocodile is quite a common occurrence – oh, you won’t envy them!

Currently, there are 23 species of underwater predators. In this article, we will learn about the 10 largest crocodile in the world. Let’s start expanding our knowledge!

10 African narrow-nosed crocodile

Length: 3,3 m, weight: 200 kg

African crocodile It has a narrow muzzle, thanks to which it got its name. Outwardly, the crocodile is similar to the Orinoco living in North America. The color of the reptile is quite variable: its color is olive, sometimes brown.

On the main background, especially the tail, black spots are often scattered, which is a kind of camouflage for the reptile.

The average weight of a narrow-nosed crocodile is 230 kg, and life expectancy is 50 years. Like almost all crocodiles, the narrow-nosed one has excellent hearing, smell and vision. Prefers to live alone.

9. gharial crocodile

Length: 4 m, weight: 210 kg

gharial crocodile one of the largest of its kind. If other crocodiles carry their cubs in their teeth, then the jaws of gevials are not adapted for this, but they have the ability to push them.

This species is distinguished by a narrowish muzzle, which is 5 times longer than the transverse dimensions. When growing up in a crocodile, this sign only intensifies.

You can meet a predator in India, but it is undesirable – the animal has very sharp teeth – thanks to them, the crocodile deftly hunts and eats the prey. The body weight of the animal reaches 210 kg. He has poorly developed legs, so the crocodile has difficulty moving on the ground.

8. swamp crocodile

Length: 3,3 m, weight: 225 kg

Living in the territory of Hindustan, as well as in India, a large animal swamp crocodile (Aka Mager) is a relative of the Siamese and combed crocodile.

The swamp crocodile has a large head, heavy and wide jaws. It looks like an alligator.

Mager chooses rivers, lakes and swamps for life, preferring fresh water, but sometimes the crocodile is also found in sea lagoons. The swamp crocodile, whose average weight is 225 kg, unlike other species, deftly moves on land and can migrate over long distances. Its hunting range is not limited to water – the animal hunts both in water and on land.

7. Ganges gavial

Length: 4,5 m, weight: 250 kg

From all other species of crocodiles Gangetic gharial is significantly different. First of all, the differences relate to the appearance. From the ancient reptiles, the crocodile has preserved a narrow muzzle, the jaws of which are studded with sharp, needle-like teeth.

The Gangetic gharial spends most of its life in the water, where it catches its prey for food – fish, and in habits it looks more like a predator fish. Gavial is an excellent swimmer, its speed in water develops up to 30 km/h.

The animal comes out on land only to receive a portion of the sun’s rays and to reproduce. The color of the reptile is coffee-green; on average, a crocodile weighs about 250 kg.

6. Mississippi alligator

Length: 3,4 m, weight: 340 kg

Mississippi alligator – a predator, mainly its diet consists of fish, but sometimes it happens that it also attacks other animals. The reptile lives in three American states: Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Currently, crocodile is bred by farmers in order to obtain meat and skins. Most males, when they grow up, reach up to 3,5 m in height and about 300 kg. weight.

Males use infrasound to attract females during the breeding season. Hunting for reptiles greatly influenced the number of the Mississippi crocodile, and once it was included in the list of endangered species.

5. Sharp-nosed American crocodile

Length: 4 m, weight: 335 kg

The most common type of crocodile is sharp-nosed, lives in Central America, Mexico, etc. Males grow up to 5 m in length and weigh about 400 kg. Usually the animal dives into the water for up to 10 minutes, but in case of danger it can do without air for 30 minutes.

Since 1994, the reptile has been in vulnerable status. The steady decline in the population is caused by poaching and the reduction of natural habitat. 68% of sharp-snouted crocodile deaths are caused by traffic accidents. This is due to the fact that the crocodile loves to walk along the asphalt of freeways, which is why it often gets under the wheels of passing cars.

4. black caiman

Length: 3,9 m, weight: 350 kg

Cayman is the oldest inhabitant of our amazing planet, whose appearance remains almost unchanged. Under water in the Amazon Basin lives a strong and large animal, whose weight reaches an average of 350 kg.

Black caimans have enemies only in childhood – the young face many dangers, like everyone who lives in the cruel waters of the Amazon.

The cubs have a lot to learn, because without disguise, the crocodile immediately becomes the prey of piranhas, jaguars, etc. adults black caimans they sit in a pond for a long time without the slightest movement – thus, they are waiting for prey. More than 70 teeth, sharp as a blade, pierce into any animal that leans towards the water.

3. Orinoco crocodile

Length: 4,1 m, weight: 380 kg

One of the rarest crocodiles, the Orinoco, lives in the Orinoco Delta, in the lakes and rivers of Colombia, as well as Venezuela. This species of reptile is recognized as the largest predator in South America – it reaches a length of 5 m and weighs about 380 kg.

With 1970 year orinoco crocodile is under protection, since the population of the animal is very low, today in nature there are no more than one and a half thousand individuals. The color of the crocodile is usually light green, sometimes it is grayish with dark spots.

His muzzle is quite long and narrow. It prefers to lead an aquatic lifestyle, but in a drought, when the water level drops, the crocodile hides in minks, which it digs in the banks of streams, after which it hibernates.

2. Nile crocodile

Length: 4,2 m, weight: 410 kg

Nile crocodile – one of the most dangerous reptiles in nature, on account of which countless human victims. For many centuries, this type of crocodile terrifies the living creatures around it, because it is considered one of the largest (yielding, if only to the combed crocodile) – its body weight is 410 kg.

According to theories, this species of crocodile has inhabited the Earth since the time of the dinosaurs. The structure of the animal’s body is built in such a way that it hunts perfectly in the water – thanks to its powerful tail, the reptile quickly moves and pushes off the bottom in such a way that it makes deft jumps at a distance many times greater than the length of its body.

1. A combed crocodile

Length: 4,5 m, weight: 450 kg

This type of reptile is considered the most powerful and most dangerous. It got its name due to the presence of ridges in the area of ​​​​the eyeballs. When a crocodile grows up, then its crests increase in size.

combed (Aka sea) crocodile – one of the most ancient on our planet. Its dimensions are simply amazing, the weight of the animal can be 900 kg, and the body length is 4,5 m.

The crocodile has an elongated muzzle with powerful jaws – no one can unclench them. The color of the skin of the animal is dark green and olive. This color allows the reptile to go unnoticed.

Thanks to excellent vision, the combed crocodile sees amazingly in water and on land, in addition, he has excellent hearing.