As an ancient amphibian reptile of the same age as the dinosaurs on the earth, the crocodile is known as one of the "living fossils", its origin can be traced back to more than 200 million years ago, and it has always maintained superior survival ability. Do you know anything about the species of crocodiles in the world? This article will introduce the top 10 well-known crocodile species in the world, including estuarine crocodile, Gangese crocodile, Nile crocodile, Siamese crocodile, Malayan crocodile, Petén crocodile, Philippine crocodile, American alligator, caiman, and Chinese alligator. Let's explore the world of these ancient creatures.
1. Henghe Feng
The Ganges crocodile is a species of the long-snouted crocodile family, belonging to the genus Ganges crocodile and is one of the largest crocodiles in the world. Male rhesus crocodiles are generally between 5 and 6 meters long and weigh between 159 and 250 kilograms; Females, on the other hand, are around 3.5 to 4.5 meters long and weigh between 100 and 130 kilograms. The Ganges crocodile mainly inhabits rivers, ponds, swamps, and artificial waters in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Nepal. In addition to feeding on fish, they can also prey on large mammals, even humans. However, the Ganges crocodile does not actively attack people.
2. Kawaguchi
The estuarine crocodile, also known as the saltwater crocodile and the bay crocodile, is one of the 23 known crocodile species and one of the largest reptiles living on Earth. Adult estuarine crocodiles can reach a length of 5 to 7 meters and weigh between 500 and 1,400 kilograms. This type of crocodile is fierce, strong and a good swimmer, and has a wide range of distribution, mainly in Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and the Malay Archipelago, as well as in the northern part of Australia. Estuarine crocodiles have a very wide diet, preying on fish, amphibians, reptiles and large mammals. Sometimes they even actively attack and prey on humans.
3. Nile crocodile
The Nile crocodile, also known as the African crocodile, is the largest reptile in Africa, up to 6 meters long and weighing 1 ton, and has attracted the attention of human research among all kinds of crocodiles in the world. The Nile crocodile is mainly found in the Nile Valley and southeastern parts of Africa, but also on the island of Madagascar. Their food sources are quite extensive, ranging from antelopes, zebras, and buffalo to even young hippos and elephants, as well as fish and birds, and sometimes even attack humans. Nile crocodiles are often hunted by humans because of their large size to make leather and other goods, which are not available in China.
4. Siamese crocodile
The Siamese crocodile is a medium-sized crocodile species that can reach up to 4 meters in length in adults and 3 meters in general, while juvenile crocodiles are about 25 centimeters in length when they hatch. Siamese crocodiles are renowned in the international market for their leather, and the value of their hides is directly proportional to the size of the skin. Wild Siamese crocodiles are mainly found in Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam in Southeast Asia.
The Siamese crocodile plays the role of the top of the food chain in the wetland ecosystem, with juvenile individuals feeding mainly on insects, amphibians, crustaceans, young reptiles and fish, while adults prey on larger animals and, although fish are the staple food, also on amphibians, reptiles and small mammals.
5. Malayan crocodile
The Malayan crocodile, also known as the Malayan alligator, was widely distributed in the early days, and even appeared in southern China hundreds of years ago. Currently, this crocodile mainly inhabits freshwater swamps, lakes and rivers in places such as the Malay Peninsula, Kalimantan, Sumatra and Java. The average body length of a Malayan crocodile is about 3 meters, and there are larger individuals that reach 4 meters. Although the Malayan crocodile is very similar in appearance to the rhesus crocodile, its head gradually shrinks towards the snout and nose, and the male Malayan crocodile does not have the characteristic spherical protrusion of the rhesus crocodile.
6. Petén crocodile
The Petén crocodile, often referred to as the Central American crocodile, Mexican crocodile, or Belize crocodile, is a medium-sized crocodile with a wide snout, with a body length of about 3 to 3.4 meters. It is a smaller breed and is generally about 3 meters long. The Petén crocodile has a wider snout and resembles an American crocodile in appearance, but is usually darker in tone, with dark grayish-brown stripes and spots on the body and tail.
This crocodile typically inhabits freshwater ponds, rivers, and marshes from southern Mexico to northern Guatemala, and is sometimes found near the Atlantic coastline.
7. Philippine crocodile
The Mendolo crocodile, also known as the Philippine crocodile, is a special crocodile species that is found alone in the Philippine archipelago. They are approximately between 2.4 and 2.7 meters in length and weigh between 15 and 36 kilograms. Compared to other crocodiles, the Philippine crocodile has a wider snout and a relatively small body, usually no more than 3 meters, while males are generally larger than females.
Although this crocodile is not overly aggressive, it will also bite when disturbed. The Philippine crocodile is listed as an endangered species, and according to the 2008 American website Living Science, the Philippine crocodile was ranked as one of the top ten endangered and rare animal species in the world.
8. American alligator
The American alligator, also known as the Dense River crocodile, is a large crocodile species in the Western Hemisphere, typically between 1.8 and 2.7 meters in length. However, according to the Everglades National Park website, Florida has recorded the largest alligator up to 5.3 meters long, while the largest American alligator has been found on Wetlands Island near Lake Washington and Louisiana at 5.8 meters long. This demonstrates the potential growth potential of the American alligator. The American alligator is found mainly in large rivers and inland lakes in the United States and is an endemic species to the United States.
9. Caiman
Caiman, referring to the animals in the genus Caiman in the family Alligatoridae, is a class of small and medium-sized crocodiles. Caimans have a weaker bite than true crocodiles of the same size, because their mouths are not as muscular as other crocodiles, so it is easy for an adult man to be unable to open their mouths. This disadvantage also became a weapon for crocodile hunters to catch caimans. Common caimans can reach a maximum length of 2.5 meters, while adult caimans are usually between 1.5 and 2 meters long, and they are mainly found in rivers in Central and South America.
10. Chinese alligator
The Chinese alligator, commonly known as tuó, is a crocodile in the alligator genus of the alligator family, and is listed as a national first-class protected animal by the mainland. Endemic to China, the Chinese alligator is also one of the smallest crocodiles in the world. It is scarce and endangered, and is one of the world's most endangered reptiles. With a number of unique characteristics of dinosaur reptiles, the Chinese alligator is known as a "living fossil". Therefore, the study of Chinese alligators is of great significance for exploring the rise and fall of ancient reptiles, paleogeology, and biological evolution.
Top 10 crocodiles in the world, the smallest in China - Encyclopedia of Animals