Facts: The Weever

The American crocodile has a wide range from the southern tip of Florida, the Caribbean, and both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Mexico and Central America down to northern South America. The crocodiles inhabit the fresh or brackish water of river estuaries, coastal lagoons, and mangrove swamps. There are even some populations known from freshwater areas that are quite far from the coast. American crocodiles can grow quite large. Male crocodiles are larger than females. Males rarely exceed 14 ft in the wild and females are typically 8 to 12 ft in length. The crocodiles have a long, muscular tail and four short legs that have five toes on the front feet and four on the back feet. Their eardrums are protected by movable flaps of skin at the top of the head, behind the eyes, and the nostrils are at the end of their snout. Because of the location of the eyes, ears, and nostrils, a crocodile can be submerged with only the top of its head exposed and still be able to see, hear, and breathe. Crocodiles closely resemble alligators. American crocodiles are grayish-green in color with a tapered, triangular snout, and the fourth tooth on both sides of the lower jaw is visible when the mouth is closed. Alligators, on the other hand, are darker, have a broader snout, and are typically only found in freshwater habitats. Adult crocodiles primarily feed at night on fish, crabs, birds, turtles, snakes, and small mammals. Young primarily feed on aquatic invertebrates and small fish. American crocodiles build nests that are either holes in the ground or mounds of sand and other earthen materials. 30 to 60 eggs are typically laid by a single female. The eggs incubate for about 85 days until they hatch. The female crocodile will visit her nest with increasing frequency toward the end of the incubation period. The sex of crocodile embryos is determined by the temperature at which the eggs are incubated. When hatching begins, the female digs open the nest and may help some of the hatchlings emerge from their eggs. The female may also assist the hatchlings to the water, where they are soon left to fend for themselves. Hatchlings are around 9 inches long. Although adult crocodiles have no natural predators other than humans, hatchlings have a high mortality rate and are preyed upon by wildlife such as raccoons, birds, and crabs. American crocodiles can typically live 50 to 70 years in the wild. Compared to the more aggressive saltwater crocodiles that inhabit the other side of the world, American crocodiles are quite shy. Crocodiles are ectothermic, meaning that they rely on external sources to regulate their body temperature. They may do this by basking in the sun or by moving to an area with warmer or cooler water. Past declines in American crocodile populations were mainly due to commercial exploitation of their valuable skins from the 1930s into the 1970s. They are still hunted in some areas of their range. They are also threatened by habitat destruction. In Florida, one of the most significant sources of mortality for crocodiles is being run over by cars. For more marine facts, click the SUBSCRIBE button!!