Crocodiles are large reptiles found in tropical regions of Africa, Asia,
the Americas and Australia. They are members of the order Crocodilia,
which also includes caimans, gharials and alligators.
There are 13 species of crocodiles, so there are many different sizes of crocodile. The smallest crocodile is the dwarf crocodile. It grows to about 5.6 feet (1.7 meters) in length and weighs 13 to 15 pounds (6 to 7 kilograms).
Crocodiles have powerful jaws with many conical teeth and short legs with clawed webbed toes. They share a unique body form that allows the eyes, ears, and nostrils to be above the water surface while most of the animal is hidden below. The tail is long and massive, and the skin is thick and plated.
All crocodiles have a relatively long snout, or muzzle, which varies considerably in shape and proportion. The scales that cover most of the body generally are arranged in a regular pattern, and thick, bony plates occur on the back. Families and genera are primarily distinguished by differences in skull anatomy.
Crocodiles are a living link with the dinosaur-like reptiles of prehistoric times and are the nearest living relatives of the birds. A large variety of crocodilian fossils have been discovered that date back 200 million years to the Late Triassic Epoch. Fossil evidence also suggests that three major radiations occurred. Only one of the four suborders of crocodiles has survived to modern times. The order Crocodylia includes the “true crocodiles,” alligators, caimans, and gavials.
Crocodiles live in tropical climates for a reason. They are cold-blooded and cannot generate their own heat. During colder months, they hibernate or go dormant. Crocodiles will also go dormant during long periods of drought. To create a place to hibernate, they dig out a burrow in the side of river bank or lake and settle in for a long sleep.
Crocodiles are mostly nocturnal animals. They are predators and spend most of their time in the water; although they are also known to make journeys of several kilometres over land. In the first weeks of life, crocodiles eat insects, crustaceans, snails, small fishes, frogs, and tadpoles. Older crocodiles mainly eat fish and are more apt to prey upon waterfowl and on mammals. Occasionally, a member of one of the larger species eats a human, though such incidents happen so infrequently that crocodiles cannot be generally regarded as man-eaters.
Crocodiles capture water animals in their jaws with a sideways movement of the muzzle. They have sensitive pressure receptors located in pits in the scales around the mouth that detect motion; these structures assist in the capture of prey in dark or murky water. To catch land animals, a crocodile floats passively or remains motionless at the edge of the water where prey habitually drink. With a sudden lunge, it seizes an unsuspecting animal and drowns it. If the prey is large, a crocodile may grip portions of the victim in its jaws and rotate rapidly in the water to tear the prey apart.
Smallest crocodile species is Dwarf Crocodile which can reach 5 feet in length and weigh up to 40-70 pounds. Crocodiles are meat-eaters (carnivores). They have 24 sharp teeth which are used for killing of fish, birds, mammals and small crocodile (their prey). Crocodiles don't chew their food.
Cr crocodiles lay 10 to 60 eggs at a time. The hatchlings stay in their eggs for 55 to 110 days. They are 7 to 10 inches (17.8 to 25.4 centimeters) long when they are born and don't mature until they are 4 to 15 years. How long a crocodile lives depends on its species. Some only live to around 30 years, while others live up to 75 years
FACT ABOUT CROCODILES.
There are 13 species of crocodiles, so there are many different sizes of crocodile. The smallest crocodile is the dwarf crocodile. It grows to about 5.6 feet (1.7 meters) in length and weighs 13 to 15 pounds (6 to 7 kilograms).
Crocodiles have powerful jaws with many conical teeth and short legs with clawed webbed toes. They share a unique body form that allows the eyes, ears, and nostrils to be above the water surface while most of the animal is hidden below. The tail is long and massive, and the skin is thick and plated.
All crocodiles have a relatively long snout, or muzzle, which varies considerably in shape and proportion. The scales that cover most of the body generally are arranged in a regular pattern, and thick, bony plates occur on the back. Families and genera are primarily distinguished by differences in skull anatomy.
Crocodiles are a living link with the dinosaur-like reptiles of prehistoric times and are the nearest living relatives of the birds. A large variety of crocodilian fossils have been discovered that date back 200 million years to the Late Triassic Epoch. Fossil evidence also suggests that three major radiations occurred. Only one of the four suborders of crocodiles has survived to modern times. The order Crocodylia includes the “true crocodiles,” alligators, caimans, and gavials.
Crocodiles live in tropical climates for a reason. They are cold-blooded and cannot generate their own heat. During colder months, they hibernate or go dormant. Crocodiles will also go dormant during long periods of drought. To create a place to hibernate, they dig out a burrow in the side of river bank or lake and settle in for a long sleep.
Crocodiles are mostly nocturnal animals. They are predators and spend most of their time in the water; although they are also known to make journeys of several kilometres over land. In the first weeks of life, crocodiles eat insects, crustaceans, snails, small fishes, frogs, and tadpoles. Older crocodiles mainly eat fish and are more apt to prey upon waterfowl and on mammals. Occasionally, a member of one of the larger species eats a human, though such incidents happen so infrequently that crocodiles cannot be generally regarded as man-eaters.
Crocodiles capture water animals in their jaws with a sideways movement of the muzzle. They have sensitive pressure receptors located in pits in the scales around the mouth that detect motion; these structures assist in the capture of prey in dark or murky water. To catch land animals, a crocodile floats passively or remains motionless at the edge of the water where prey habitually drink. With a sudden lunge, it seizes an unsuspecting animal and drowns it. If the prey is large, a crocodile may grip portions of the victim in its jaws and rotate rapidly in the water to tear the prey apart.
Smallest crocodile species is Dwarf Crocodile which can reach 5 feet in length and weigh up to 40-70 pounds. Crocodiles are meat-eaters (carnivores). They have 24 sharp teeth which are used for killing of fish, birds, mammals and small crocodile (their prey). Crocodiles don't chew their food.
Cr crocodiles lay 10 to 60 eggs at a time. The hatchlings stay in their eggs for 55 to 110 days. They are 7 to 10 inches (17.8 to 25.4 centimeters) long when they are born and don't mature until they are 4 to 15 years. How long a crocodile lives depends on its species. Some only live to around 30 years, while others live up to 75 years
FACT ABOUT CROCODILES.
- Crocodiles don't chew their food. They tear apart flesh and swallow large chunks of meat. They sometimes swallow stones to ensure faster grinding of the food in their stomach.
- Expression "cry crocodile tears" is based on the true fact - crocodiles produce tears when they eat. They don't cry because they feel sorry for the prey, but because they swallow too much air, which gets in touch with lachrymal glands (glands that produce tears) and forces tears to flow.
- They have one of the strongest bites in the animal world. Muscles which induce closing of the jaw are much stronger than muscles which open the jaw. Because of that, people can use their bare hands to keep their mouth closed.
- Crocodiles can be often seen with their jaws wide open. They open their jaws to cool themselves because they don't have sweat glands.
- Only crocodile's belly has a gentle skin. Skin on their back contains bony structures (called osteoderms) which make skin bulletproof.
- Crocodiles have excellent eyesight (especially during the night). Their eyes can be seen as red dots while peeking from the water during the night.
- Crocodiles mate during monsoon season. Female lays 20-80 eggs and take care of them 3 months.
- 99% of crocodile babies will be eaten in the first year of their life by large fish, hyenas, monitor lizards and larger crocodiles.
- Most crocodiles live 50-60 years in the wild. Some crocodiles can live more than 80 years.
- Crocodiles live on the Earth 240 million years. They appeared at the same time when dinosaurs appeared.
- Closest relatives of crocodiles are birds and dinosaurs.
- THE CROCODILE
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