The Nile crocodile (lat. Crocodylus niloticus) is a large reptile of the family of real crocodiles. The largest of the 3 crocodile species found in Africa and the second largest in the world after the combed crocodile. Known as the man-eating crocodile due to its habitat, size and strength, it was an object of fear and worship in ancient times. To date, perhaps the most famous view crocodiles. In general, the abundance of the species is relatively high and stable, although populations in some countries are under threat of extinction.

Appearance

Like all crocodiles, the Nile crocodile has short legs located on the sides of the body, scaly skin covered with rows of bone plates, a long strong tail and powerful jaws. Crocodile eyes are equipped with a third eyelid for added protection and have special glands that allow them to be washed with tears (hence the expression "crocodile tears"). The nostrils, ears and eyes are located at the top of the head, thanks to which the crocodile can almost completely submerge in water, leaving them on the surface.

The coloring of the Nile crocodile also allows it to go unnoticed. Juveniles are usually gray or light brown with dark stripes on the back and tail. With age, the color darkens and the stripes become less noticeable. The belly has a yellow tint, such skin is considered the highest quality.

Usually a crocodile crawls on its stomach, but can also walk with its torso elevated. Medium-sized individuals are able to run a short distance at a gallop, developing a speed of 12-14 km / h. It also swims quickly (30 km/h) making sinusoidal movements with its tail.

Physiology

The heart is four-chambered, like in birds, which makes it possible to saturate the blood with oxygen more efficiently. Usually the Nile crocodile dives for 2-3 minutes, but if necessary, it can stay under water for up to 30 minutes, and with reduced activity - up to two hours. Being a cold-blooded animal, it has a relatively slow metabolism and can long time go without food, but at the same time is able to eat up to half its own weight in one sitting.

The Nile crocodile has fairly good hearing and a rich vocal range. His skin is equipped with special receptors that respond to changes in water pressure. The jaws have impressive strength, which allows them to hold large animals. Usually has 64-68 conical teeth - 36-38 on the upper jaw and 28-30 on the lower. Newly hatched crocodiles have a special tooth-like skin seal on the front of their snout that helps them get out of the egg.

Dimensions

The Nile crocodile is large, usually about 5 m, occasionally up to 5.5 m. The weight often exceeds 500 kg, there are individual specimens weighing over 1200 kg. The largest known specimen was killed in Tanzania in 1905: length 6.45 m, weight 1090 kg. Reports of 7-meter crocodiles have not been confirmed. At the southern border of the range - in South Africa, Nile crocodiles are somewhat smaller size, their length usually does not exceed 4 m. Like other species of crocodiles, it exhibits sexual dimorphism - females are on average 30% fewer males. In general, the differences are less than in many other species.

Crocodiles living in colder climates, such as southern Africa, are smaller - about 4 m. The pygmy Nile crocodile, living in Mali and the Sahara Desert, grows only up to 2-3 m. It is believed that such differences in size are the result of worse living conditions, not genetic differences.

reproduction

Under normal conditions, the Nile crocodile becomes sexually mature by the age of ten, when it reaches a length of 3 m for males, 2-2.5 m for females. During the mating season, males attract females by slapping the water, roaring, snorting, and making other noises. Large males are usually more attractive to females. During mating games pairs "sing" peculiar trills and rub with the undersides of the muzzle.

The time of egg laying largely depends on latitude - in the north of the range it falls on the dry season, and in the south it is usually tied to the beginning of the rainy season - November or December. In Zimbabwe, females lay their eggs in September or early October. Favorite places for building nests are sandy beaches, dry riverbeds and river banks. The female digs a hole up to 50 cm deep two meters from the shore and lays from 20 to 85 eggs (average 50). Several females may build nests close to each other.

After laying eggs, the expectant mother covers the nest with sand and guards for a 3 month incubation period. The father is usually nearby as well, and both parents will attack anyone who tries to get close to the nest. Despite such care, many nests are destroyed by people, monitor lizards and other animals if the mother leaves to hide from the heat or take a dip in the water.

Hatched cubs make chirping sounds, and at this signal, the mother breaks the nest. Parents sometimes take the eggs in their mouths and squeeze them between the tongue and palate to help the offspring free themselves. Then the female leads the crocodiles to the water or carries them in her mouth.

As with other crocodiles, the sex of the young is determined by temperature during the middle third of the incubation period, not genetically. If the temperature inside the nest was below 31.7 ° C or above 34.5 ° C, then females are born, otherwise males.

Newly hatched crocodiles have a length of about 30 cm, in the first years they grow quite quickly. The mother takes care of the offspring for two years. If several nests were close to each other, mothers can take care of their offspring together, forming a kind of crocodile nursery. In two years, young crocodiles reach a size of 1.2 m and leave their native places, while avoiding the territories of older and larger crocodiles. Average duration The life of the Nile crocodiles is 45 years, there are specimens up to 80 years old.

Nutrition

Newly hatched crocodiles feed on insects and aquatic invertebrates, moving on to amphibians, reptiles, and birds fairly quickly. The diet of even adult crocodiles is 70% fish and other small vertebrates, despite the fact that a crocodile can eat almost any animal that comes to a watering hole, with the exception of adult elephants and hippos. The Nile crocodile also eats carrion, although it avoids rotten meat. A group of crocodiles can go hundreds of meters from the shore to get to the corpse of a large animal.

An adult crocodile uses its body and tail to push a school of fish towards the shore and eats it with a quick movement of its head. Crocodiles can also form a group and block migrating fish by becoming a semi-circle across the river. In this case, the dominant crocodiles eat first.

It is known that Nile crocodiles can successfully attack zebras, antelopes, buffaloes, young hippos and rhinos, giraffes, warthogs, hyenas, monkeys, felines, as well as other crocodiles. The ability to almost completely hide under water, combined with high speed on the short distances makes crocodiles good hunters big booty. They grab it with powerful jaws, drag it into the water and hold it there until it drowns. When the prey is dead, they tear off pieces from it and swallow it. When dividing the joint prey, they coordinate efforts to break the body, and for this purpose they can also push it under snags or stones.

The Nile crocodile poses a danger to humans, although to a lesser extent than the combed crocodile. Females are especially dangerous during the period of caring for offspring, when they become especially aggressive towards any animal approaching the nest. Most attacks take place far from civilization and are not recorded, so the real number of victims is unknown. According to some sources, it is 1,000 people a year, according to others - 200. In 2005, a crocodile was caught in Uganda, which, according to local residents, ate 83 people in 20 years. In 2006, in Botswana, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington, Richard Root, became a victim of a crocodile.

The Nile crocodile is thought to have a symbiotic relationship with some birds, such as the spurred lapwing (Vanellus spinosus). According to some reports, the crocodile opens its mouth wide, and at this time the bird takes out pieces of meat stuck in its teeth. However, these reports have proven difficult to verify and may not be a true symbiotic relationship.

Distribution and protection

The Nile crocodile prefers to live along the banks of rivers and lakes and in freshwater swamps, sometimes found in brackish water, in estuaries or mangroves. It is distributed throughout almost all of sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in Madagascar and in the Nile basin. Once lived much further north - the fossil remains of this animal were found in Algeria, Israel and Jordan, as well as in the Comoros.

In the 1940s - 1960s, the Nile crocodile was actively hunted, mainly for its high-quality skin, to a lesser extent for meat and alleged organs. medicinal properties. This led to a multiple reduction in the number of the species, as a result of which there was a threat of its extinction.

The Nile crocodile is widely distributed in many countries of southern and eastern Africa, such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, the population is controlled and documented.

The Nile crocodile is listed on the Red List of the World Conservation Union for the category of minimal risk. The crocodile trade is regulated international convention according to Appendix I of CITES.

CROCODILE
Squad CROCODILE(Crocodylia) - a family of reptiles. There are three species in Africa. The narrow-nosed crocodile is endemic to Africa. Inhabits all major rivers West Africa, Lake Tanganyika and the east of the mainland. Blunt (or dwarf) crocodile - in central Africa. Nile crocodile - on the mainland and some islands.

Crocodiles occupy a special position among modern reptiles, being closer relatives of extinct dinosaurs, which they survived by almost 60 million years, and modern birds than other reptiles of our time. A number of features of the organization of crocodiles, and first of all the perfection of the nervous, circulatory and respiratory systems, allows us to consider them the most highly organized of all living reptiles. The evolution of crocodiles, starting from the appearance of this group about 150 million years ago, went in the direction of ever greater adaptation to the aquatic lifestyle and predation. The fact that crocodiles have survived to our time is often explained by their life in various fresh water bodies of the tropical and subtropical zones, that is, in places whose conditions have changed little since the appearance of crocodiles.

The general body shape of a crocodile is lizard-like. They are characterized by a long, laterally compressed, high tail, membranes between the fingers of the hind limbs, a long muzzle and a head flattened in the dorsal-abdominal direction. There are five fingers on the forelimbs, four on the hind limbs (there is no little finger). The nostrils, located at the front end of the muzzle, and the eyes are raised and located on the upper side of the head, which allows crocodiles to stay in the water near its surface, exposing only their eyes and nostrils to the air. External auditory openings are closed with movable valves that protect eardrums from mechanical damage when immersed in water. The body, tail and limbs of crocodiles are covered with large, regular-shaped horny shields located on the back and abdomen in regular rows. In the inner layer of the skin (corium), under the horny scutes of the outer layer, on the back and in some species on the belly, bone plates (osteoderms) develop that are firmly connected with the horny scutes, forming a shell that protects the body of the crocodile well; on the head, osteoderms fuse with the bones of the skull.

Modern crocodiles inhabit various fresh water bodies. Relatively few species are tolerant of brackish water and are found in river estuaries (African narrow-nosed crocodile, Nile crocodile, American sharp-snouted crocodile). Only the combed crocodile swims far into the open sea and has been observed at a distance of 600 km from the nearest shore. Most of the day crocodiles spend in the water. They come out to the coastal shallows in the morning and in the late afternoon - to warm themselves in the sun.

Crocodiles hunt at night. Mandatory component All crocodilian diets include fish, but crocodilians will devour any prey they can handle. Therefore, the set of feeds changes with age: various invertebrates serve as food for the young - insects, crustaceans, mollusks, worms; larger animals prey on fish, amphibians, reptiles and water birds. Adult crocodiles are able to cope with large mammals. There is a known case of finding the remains of a rhinoceros in the stomach of a Nile crocodile. In many species of crocodiles, cannibalism is noted - devouring larger individuals of smaller ones. Often crocodiles eat carrion; some species hide the uneaten remains of the victim under the overhanging shore and later devour them half-decomposed. Crocodiles move in water with the help of their tail. On land, crocodiles are slow and clumsy, but sometimes they make significant transitions, moving several kilometers away from water bodies. When moving quickly, crocodiles put their legs under the body (usually they are widely spaced), which rises high above the ground. Young Nile crocodiles can run at a gallop at about 12 km per hour. Crocodiles lay eggs the size of chicken or goose, covered with calcareous shells. The number of eggs in a clutch different types it happens from 10 to 100. Some species bury their eggs in the sand, others lay them in nests made by the female from rotting vegetation. The female remains close to the clutch, protecting it from enemies. Young crocodiles are still inside the eggs, by the time they hatch, they make croaking sounds, after which the mother digs up the masonry, helping the offspring to get out.

Crocodiles grow rapidly in the first 2-3 years of life, during which they reach crocodiles and gharials. sizes 1-1.5 m. With age, the growth rate decreases, and they add only a few centimeters in length per year. Sexual maturity is reached at the age of 8-10 years. Crocodiles live up to 80 - 100 years. Enemies in adult crocodiles are few, if we exclude humans. Cases of attacks by elephants and lions on crocodiles, making transitions by land from one reservoir to another, have been noted.

Widespread in Africa Nile Crocodile(Crocodylus niloticus). It can be found throughout Africa, except for its northern part, in Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles. It most often settles outside the forest, but also enters forest water bodies. It reaches a length of 4-6 m. The cubs that have just hatched from eggs are about 28 cm long, by the end of the first year of life they reach 60 cm, by two years - 90 cm, at 5 years old - 1.7 m, at 10 years old - 2, 3 m and at 20 years old - 3.75 m. They spend the night in the water, and by sunrise they go to the shallows and bask in the sun. Midday, the hottest hours are spent in the water, with the exception of cloudy days. In windy, inclement weather, they spend the night on the shore. The maximum duration of stay under water for animals with a length of about 1 m is about 40 minutes; larger crocodiles can stay underwater for much longer. The food of the Nile crocodile is very diverse and changes with age. In cubs up to 30 cm long, 70% of the food is insects. Larger individuals (about 2.5 m long) feed on fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and even larger ones feed on fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. Adult Nile crocodiles may attack such large mammals like buffaloes and even rhinos. Crocodiles lie in wait for animals at watering places, in water or on land in dense grass. In a number of areas, Nile crocodiles are dangerous to humans. Eggs are always laid in the dry season, when the water level is low. Females dig a hole in the sand up to 60 cm deep, where they lay 25-95 (on average 55-60) eggs. Incubation lasts about 90 days, during which the mother remains constantly at the nest, guarding the clutch. Apparently, at this time the animal does not eat. By the time of hatching, young crocodiles inside the eggs begin to make grunting sounds, which serve as a signal for the mother to help the cubs get out from under the sand and accompany them to the water. At this time, the female can attack a person even on land. Hatching from eggs usually occurs after the first rains fall, with a rise in the water level in lakes and rivers, so that young crocodiles immediately find shelter and food in overflowing reservoirs. After the release of young crocodiles from eggs, the mother leads them (according to Kott's observations) to the "nursery" she has chosen - a shallow reservoir protected by vegetation. Here the young crocodiles stay for about six weeks; all this time, the mother stays with the brood, protecting it from attacks of predators. In the absence of a mother, crocodile hatchlings often remain close to the nest, where they are usually exterminated by predators - goliath herons, marabou, and kites. Numerous cases of cannibalism are known (devouring eggs and young individuals), which is usually considered a mechanism for regulating the number of species: it is noted that cannibalism occurs more often, the higher the number of crocodiles. The number of Nile crocodiles has fallen everywhere and continues to fall. IN ancient egypt crocodiles were revered as sacred animals; now they are almost exterminated. The same fate will befall crocodiles in a number of places in Central and East Africa unless measures are taken to protect the species

Titles: Nile crocodile.
Given the wide range of distribution of the Nile crocodile, several varieties have evolved that are rarely mentioned in the literature and none of the varieties are officially recognized as subspecies status:
- East African Nile crocodile - Crocodylus niloticus africanus;
- West African Nile crocodile - Crocodylus niloticus chamses;
- South African Nile crocodile - Crocodylus niloticus corviei;
- Malagasy Nile crocodile - Crocodylus niloticus madagascariensis;
- Ethiopian Nile crocodile - Crocodylus niloticus niloticus;
- Kenyan Nile crocodile - Crocodylus niloticus pauciscutatus;
- Central African Nile crocodile - Crocodylus niloticus suchus.

area: Distributed throughout Africa, except for its northern part, in Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles. In ancient times, it lived in Egypt and Palestine, but today it is not found below the second threshold on the Nile. In Southwest Asia (in the Tserka River, Israel), the Nile crocodile has been exterminated quite recently. The species was registered in following countries African Continent: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast - Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Mauritania, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone (West Africa) , Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Description: In the Nile crocodile, the length of the muzzle does not exceed its width at the base by more than twice. 4-6 occipital scutes arranged in one transverse row and 4 large occipital scutes form a square, the first transverse row of which is bordered on the sides by two smaller scutes. Dorsal shields are rectangular, oriented in regular longitudinal and transverse rows; dorsal scutes of median pair of longitudinal rows do not differ from other dorsal scutes. The skin of crocodilians, unlike others, grows with them, so there is no molting process in crocodilians. The eye and nostrils of crocodiles are located at the top of the head, so they can see and breathe while the rest of the body is submerged in water. Unlike other reptiles, they have external ears that close, as do the nostrils when crocodilians dive. Another adaptation for life in water is the third eyelid, a membrane that covers the eyes while diving underwater, thus protecting the eyes from the effects of water without losing the ability to see. It is impossible to determine the sex of a crocodile by appearance. The male has a penis, but it is only temporarily removed mating season. All crocodilians have a leathery growth at the back of the throat that blocks water from entering the respiratory organs when the animal is under water. This allows you to keep the mouth open underwater without the risk of choking. Crocodiles swallow small stones that settle in their stomach and help grind food. According to some researchers, the pebbles in the stomach serve the crocodile as a ballast. Total amount teeth 64-68.

Color: Young Nile crocodiles are dark olive and brown in color with a black cross pattern on the body and tail. In adults, the pattern fades and becomes paler

Size: The Nile crocodile reaches a length of up to 5 meters (according to some reports up to 6 meters). There is evidence that the Nile crocodiles living in the southern regions of Africa (in countries with a cooler climate) reach smaller sizes - up to 4 meters. There are two varieties of dwarf Nile crocodiles found in Malawi and the Sahara Desert. Because of adverse conditions, these species reach sizes of 2-3 meters.
The cubs that have just hatched from eggs are about 28 cm long, by the end of the first year of life they reach 60 cm, by two years - 90 cm, at 5 years old - 1.7 m, at 10 years old - 2.3 m and at 20 years old - 3.75 m

Weight: 272-910 kg.

Lifespan: More than 50 years.

Voice: The Nile crocodile is capable of emitting a cry that looks like a dull moo. He screams only when he is very excited. Young crocodiles, recently hatched from an egg, make a peculiar croaking sound, reminiscent of the cheerful chirping of frogs.

Habitat: Inhabits a wide variety of water bodies: lakes, rivers, freshwater swamps, brackish water reservoirs. It most often settles outside forests, but also enters forest reservoirs.

Enemies: Young Nile crocodiles can be attacked by goliath herons, marabou,. There are known cases of the death of fairly large crocodiles from. For adult crocodiles, the main enemy is man.

Food: The food of the Nile crocodile is very varied and changes with age. Teenagers feed on small aquatic and, as they grow, large vertebrates are added to the diet. Individuals about 2.5 m long feed on mollusks, and even larger ones feed on fish, reptiles, and mammals. Adult Nile crocodiles can attack large mammals such as buffaloes and even, although fish and small vertebrates make up the majority of their diet.

Behavior: Nile crocodiles spend the night in the water, and by sunrise they go out to the shallows and bask in the sun. Midday, the hottest hours are spent in the water, with the exception of cloudy days. In windy, inclement weather, the animals spend the night on the shore. The maximum duration of stay under water for crocodiles up to 1 m long is about 40 minutes; larger individuals can be under water for much longer. Crocodiles swim with the help of their powerful paddle-like tail. Only the hind legs are webbed, but they are rarely used for moving underwater. On land, the crocodile moves on short, seemingly weak legs. When walking, he puts his paws close to the body, and rises above the ground. Sometimes they move at a gallop, like. At the same time, they lean on their front paws, and the hind legs are carried out beyond the front ones, transferring the weight of the body to them and then throwing their hind legs forward. The speed that Nile crocodiles can reach when galloping is 29 US miles per hour. Adults can migrate far from their habitats when they grow up to 1.2 meters. An adult crocodile, as a rule, does not move away from the water, and only when its reservoir dries up, it rushes in search of a new home. At this time, many crocodiles die without reaching their goal.
When hunting for fish, the crocodile beats with its tail in order to frighten and stun it, it swallows the stunned fish. Sometimes crocodiles cooperate for hunting, for example, one crocodile blocks off an area of ​​water in order to increase the concentration of fish in it.

Copyright holder: portal Zooclub
When reprinting this article, an active link to the source is MANDATORY, otherwise, the use of the article will be considered a violation of the "Law on Copyright and Related Rights".

Everyone knows that the Nile crocodile is a super predator, which is not much inferior in size to the combed crocodile, which occupies the lead in the world. This predator lives in African countries. For many centuries, the large Nile crocodile has caused fear, as it is able to quickly and ruthlessly kill not only animals, but also people. The popularity of this species is also facilitated by the fact that its population is quite large and stable, although there are territories where such individuals are considered endangered.

The impressive size of the Nile crocodile allows it to hunt even animals larger than itself. The only exceptions are elephants and hippos. In length, adults can reach 5 meters, and their weight can vary from 225 to 550 kilograms. However, cases have been recorded when the length of the Nile crocodile reached over 6 meters, in particular, the largest animal 6.45 m long was killed at the beginning of the last century in Tanzania. Interestingly, the smallest representatives of this species live in the south, and the largest in the center of the continent.

Physiological features

Nile crocodiles have a 4-chambered heart, which allows them to saturate the blood with oxygen as much as possible - if necessary, it can stay under water for up to two hours, while reducing the intensity of metabolic processes. Due to its slow metabolism and low body temperature, it does not require daily meals. At the same time, at one time, he can eat prey weighing half his own weight.

In the jaw of an adult there are 64-68 identical hollow conical teeth that change up to 50 times in a lifetime.

Representatives of crocodiles belonging to this family are distinguished by short legs, scaly skin with rows of bone plates, a very powerful honor and a strong tail. The organs of vision are located on top of the head, as well as the nostrils, so that the predator can be almost completely submerged in water for camouflage. There is also a third eyelid to protect the eyes from contact with water and glands that secrete "crocodile tears". The skin of the Nile individuals in young age light brown with stripes of a dark shade in the tail and on the back, however, the color darkens with age.

What does the Nile crocodile eat?

Like all representatives of this species, the Nile crocodile is a predator. His diet consists only of meat.

Hatched crocodiles eat small insects and various aquatic invertebrates. After a few weeks, grown crocodiles are already beginning to eat larger prey: amphibians, reptiles, small fish and birds.

Reaching larger sizes, the crocodile hunts for larger prey. The diet of an adult Nile crocodile consists of fish and animals that come to drink. They successfully hunt African buffalo, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, warthogs, monkeys and even hyenas, leopards and lions. Crocodiles do not hunt only elephants, rhinos and hippos. Although the cubs of these animals can easily become a victim of the Nile crocodile.

The Nile crocodile is dangerous not only for animals, but also for humans. Every year, according to various sources, Nile crocodiles claim the lives of 1,000 people.

The crocodile waits for its prey near the shore, almost completely submerged in water. Seeing the intended victim, the crocodile abruptly jumps out of the water and grabs the prey with its powerful jaws. He inflicts on his victim deadly bites or dragged under water to drown her. Crocodiles do not disdain carrion, but they do not eat rotten meat.

Read more about the nutrition of other types of crocodiles in the article: .

Habitat of the Nile crocodile

The Nile crocodile lives on almost the entire African continent.

In ancient times, the Nile crocodile was found in Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Algeria, Libya, Jordan, Syria and the Comoros.

Now its habitat has been slightly reduced. Most individuals of the Nile crocodile live in Zambia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia in the Nile basin. A smaller number of individuals live in Zanzibar, Morocco, Tanzania, Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Mauritania, Nigeria, Namibia, Malawi, Zaire, Botswana, Cameroon, Angola, Central African Republic, Chad , Burundi, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Swaziland. The Nile crocodile is also found on nearby islands along the coasts of Africa: Madagascar, Socrates Island, the Cape Verde Islands, the archipelago of Sao Tome and Principe.

Reproduction of the Nile crocodile

The period of the mating season for the Nile crocodile in the north of the range falls during the dry season, in the southern part it coincides with the rainy season. At this time, the males are trying in every possible way to attract the attention of the female. They make different sounds, snort, roar, hit the water with their muzzle and even enter into deadly contractions. The winner expels the opponent and is left alone with the female.

After mating, the female looks for a suitable place to lay her eggs. These are mostly sandy beaches along the riverbed. The female lays in one clutch from 20 to 100 eggs, in a hard calcareous shell, which develop for about 90 days. During this time, both parents are close to the masonry and guard the nest. When the period of the birth of offspring comes, the mother, having heard chirping sounds, breaks the masonry and helps the cubs get to the water. For the first 6-10 weeks, babies live in a shallow pond under the supervision of their mother. Then the kids disperse around the neighborhood, seeking refuge from predators and other crocodiles.

When they reach an older age, they leave their native places and look for a more suitable place of residence. On average, Nile crocodiles live 45-50 years, but there are also centenarians, up to 85 years old.

Varieties

The Nile crocodile is one of the species listed in the Red Book, so their population in their habitats is monitored. Appearance and the physiology of crocodiles from different habitats can differ significantly, so they are divided into species: Ethiopian, East African, South African, West African, Malagasy, Kenyan and Central African.

The crocodile is perhaps one of the scariest animals that scare children. His aggression is inexplicable for an unenlightened layman, although it is dictated only by instinct. Many plots are built on the inexplicable desire of an adult crocodile to drag the victim to the bottom faster. works of art. Therefore, the answer to a purely practical question is always interesting: “How much does a crocodile weigh so that it can deal with the victim so easily?”.

Size and weight

How much a crocodile weighs, what its dimensions will become, depends on the type and gender of the reptiles. Sea (aka ridged) can grow more than seven meters and, accordingly, will weigh about a ton. Dwarf he is West African) grow up to a maximum of 1.9 meters, and he will gain weight up to 32 kg (maximum - 80 kg). Crocodiles are animals with pronounced sexual dimorphism, males grow much faster and become much larger than females. Moreover, a carcass weighing more than a ton grows from a baby 20 cm in size.

Observing the size of crocodiles and their weight is difficult behavioral features and inaccessibility of reptile habitats.

Only observations of crocodiles in captivity are reliable. Most big crocodile, which has ever been observed is a hybrid of combed and Siamese crocodiles named Yai on one of the farms in Thailand. Its length is 6 meters, weight - 1114 kg.

The length of the largest crocodile caught alive is 6.17 meters, weight is 1075 kg (Philippines).

How long do crocodiles live

It is difficult to determine with a high probability the age of a crocodile. The usual method adopted is to measure lamellar rings in teeth and bones: once every year, when the climate changes from dry to wet, a new ring appears as a result of a change in growth rate.

Therefore, the age of crocodiles is almost always spoken of with an estimated degree of probability. According to such estimates, almost all species of crocodiles live from thirty to forty years, although it is believed that large ones (combed, Nile, swamp, Central American) can live up to 70 years. Some of the largest specimens of combed crocodiles live over a hundred years.

Crocodile as an animal

The name crocodile is commonly used to identify all reptiles of the crocodile species. But only representatives of the family of true crocodiles can be strictly attributed to Crocodylinae. Based on this, this article will consider the features of the crocodile family (with the exception of gavial and alligator)

There are 24 known species of crocodiles in the world, divided into 3 families and 8 genera.

The largest family - crocodile, includes three genera - real crocodiles, blunt-nosed, gavial.
1 genus - real crocodiles:

    African narrow-nosed;

    marsh;

    combed;

    Cuban;

    Nile;

    New Guinean;

    Orinoco;

    sharp-snouted;

    freshwater;

    Siamese;

    Philippine;

    Central American.

2 genus - blunt crocodiles. Includes only one representative - blunt-nosed crocodile(in Latin -Osteolaemus tetraspis listen)) is a West African dwarf crocodile.

3rd genus - gavial.

It also has only one representative - Tomistoma schlegelii (false gharial).

African narrow-nosed (Mecistops cataphractus)

Considered an endangered species, little studied. Habitat - by throughout the western tropical Africa from Lake Tanganyika and Lake Mweru in the east/southeast to in the west. Dlength up to 4 meters (although individuals over 3-3.5 meters have not been observed today during observations), weight - presumably up to 230 kg.

It feeds mainly on fish, adults can eat turtles and birds, females lay up to 16 large eggs, masonry is not guarded, the breeding period is up to 110 days. They live in rivers overgrown with vegetation, according to estimated estimates, now up to 20,000 adults, its number is constantly decreasing. They live in 10 subpopulations. Scientists cannot answer the question of how long Mecistops cataphractus crocodiles live due to insufficient knowledge of the species. . The estimated data of the Red Book is 25 years.

Swamp (Crocodylus palustris)

Listed in the Red Book, habitat - in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal and possibly Bangladesh, its range extends west into eastern Iran, the current state is about 87,00 individuals, an increase of nearly 6,000 adult crocodiles since 1989.

It lives in any reservoirs, even artificially created ones, digs holes along the banks, wheresurvives in dry times or extremely cold (up to 5 degrees).It feeds on fish, mammals, birds, turtles. In a fight with a leopard, he often wins. Seen in Lately in an attack on people, which, according to scientists, indicates an increase in numbers.

Considered an average species, the average size of a crocodile is:females - up to 2.45 meters, males - up to 3.5 meters, weight on average from 50 kg for females and up to 250 kg for males. The weight of a mature male can reach up to 400 kg with a length of up to 4.5 meters. The clutch can contain up to 30 eggs, the hatching period is from 50 to 75 days. It moves well on land, can develop a decent speed - up to 12 km per hour.An interesting feature is the creation of a bait for hunting birds. The crocodile lays on the muzzle (and it lies on the water in a horizontal plane) tree branches. Birds, worried about the lack of building material for nests, fly very close to the reptile.

Ridged, or marine

Most great view crocodiles and the most dangerous for humans. Settlement area - inland and surrounding waters South-East Asia and Australia. This species is the most common and the most studied.

How long the combed crocodile lives is known most fully, since both hunters and scientists have been studying this species due to its danger. According to observations, the life span of this species is 50-80 years, although according to the studied remains, some specimens lived up to a hundred years.

The size of the combed crocodile is quite impressive. The maximum of those described is 10 meters, although today it is from 5 to 6 meters. Weight up to two tons. On average - up to 700 kg.

It grows throughout its life. In the biosystem of its range - the top of the food chain. Adults feed not only on fish, small and medium-sized mammals, but also on the largest animals, including predators.

According to paleontologists, this species of crocodiles arose more than 12 million years ago. It is considered very ancient.

The features of the combed crocodile include its ability to move far in sea ​​water. Marked individuals swam to distances of up to 500 km from their traditional habitats, using sea currents to conserve strength.

Scientists define its status as the least vulnerable to extinction.

Cuban (Crocodylus rhombifer)

W listed in the Red Book(there are up to 5000 adults, endangered due to extermination and hybridization with narrow-nosed (both in artificial and in vivo offspring reproduce). Lives in Cubabelongs to the size of medium-sized (2.3 meters in length, weighing up to 40 kg), mature males can reach a weight of up to 200 kg with a length of up to 3.5 meters.

One of the most aggressive crocodiles. It moves well on land at speeds up to 17 km per hour. Females lay up to 60 eggs, the incubation period is up to 70 days. They eat fish, mammals, birds. People are rarely attacked in natural conditions, it is believed that this is due to their small number. Behavior in captivity extremely aggressive towards humans.

Nile (Crocodylus niloticus)

This species is considered as aggressive as the combed one. The size of the crocodile is slightly smaller than the combed one. The descriptions indicate a length of up to 6 meters, but today the existing mature individuals, depending on the region of habitat, can be up to a maximum of 3.5 meters. Modern reliable records of how much a crocodile weighs Crocodylus niloticus,there are enough to estimate his weight on average. Observations show that the weight of a modern Nile crocodile can range from 250 to 350 kg.

His cannibalistic predilections are known to all the inhabitants of the vast territory of Africa south of the Sahara. He prefers the fresh waters of Africa, but the population noticed him in coastal waters. He, like the combed crocodile, is the pinnacle the food chain its ecosystem, eats everything and different weight, which can reach, jump, grab. The status of the animal is the least dangerous for extinction.

New Guinean (Crocodylus novaeguineae)

Relatively small of real crocodiles. According to DNA research, it is recognized as a close relative of the Philippine, but isolated in separate view. Habitat - inland waters of the island of New Guinea. Until 1996, it was listed in the Red Book with the status of "threat of extinction", then with an assessment of "least concern". Like all crocodiles, it was exterminated in the fifties and sixties of the last century because of the valuable skin. In 1970, after the adoption of a program of conservation measures, the number by 1996 was restored to the natural continuation of the population. Now they are, according to various estimates, up to 50 thousand.

Crocodile sizeCrocodylus novaeguineae -from2.7 meters in females up to3 .5 meters in males.Measured body weight - 294.5 kg.

The New Guinea crocodile is divided into two populations - northern and southern. The way of life (especially masonry) of crocodiles in them is slightly different. In the northern population, the nest is built on water from plants, in the southern population, more often on land.

The New Guinea crocodile is the most vociferous crocodile: both babies and adults emit great amount soundsfor different life situations which allows them to "communicate".

Orinoksky

This crocodile(Crocodylus intermedius) has the status of an endangered species in the Red Book. To date, its number is estimated as extremely low to maintain the population - only up to one and a half thousand.

INin the fifties and sixties of the last century, after mass hunting, the population was practically on the verge of extinction. In 1970, after the introduction of the protected statusthe number has increased slightly.It is still exterminated, as it has valuable skin.In addition, the local population collects crocodile babies for the purpose of subsequent sale.

Lives in Venezuela and Colombia (the basin prefers fresh lakes and rivers.

The size of the crocodile is quite impressive - up to 5.2 meters (males), females are much smaller - up to 3.6 meters. Due to the lack of knowledge (due to the lack of the individuals themselves), there is a problem in determining the mass. How much does a crocodile weigh Crocodylus intermedius, known from hunters, the average weight of a male is 380 kg, females - 225 kg.

IN clutch maximum 70 eggs. The mother not only guards the eggs for two and a half months before hatching, but also takes care of the babies for the next three years.

There have been cases of attacks on people. But due to the small population and the inaccessibility of habitats, this rarely happens.

sharp-nosed

The largest crocodile in the New World. Lives in fresh and salt lakes, at the mouths of rivers. They move well on the water, populating the islands. The size of a crocodile of this species depends on the population, somewhere less (up to 4 meters on average), somewhere more (up to 5-6 meters in hardened males). The main food - fish, unlike combed and Nile (similar in size), do not switch to feeding on mammals. Seen in attacks on people, although these are quite rare cases.

Freshwater (Crocodylus johnsoni)

Inhabits does not go out to sea and estuaries, being afraid of being caught by the combed (marine) crocodile. It feeds on fish and small vertebrates. Sizes on average up to 3 meters, in the population in northern Australia, the size is smaller. It is not dangerous for humans, since the force of compression of its jaws is rather weak. How long do crocodiles Crocodylus johnsoni live in captivity (in particular, in Australian zoo) is known for sure - up to twenty years, although presumably individual individuals can exist and grow up to a hundred years or more.

Siamese (Crocodylus siamensis)

F Yvet in Indonesia, Brunei, East Malaysia, southern Indochina. Populations of crocodiles living in all countries of the region number only 5,000 individuals. Listed in the Red Book. In Kam boje and thailand successfully operate special programs to preserve the species. The maximum size of this crocodile is 3 meters, although when hybridized with a combed one, it is up to 4 meters. It feeds on fish and small vertebrates.

Philippine (Crocodylus mindorensis)

An endangered species, only 200 adults. The maximum size is up to three meters. Eats fish and small mammals. Previously considered a subspecies of the New Guinean crocodile, it is now separated into a separate species.

Central American (Crocodylus moreletii)

Lives in tropical forests Central America. The size of males in today's conditions is up to 2.7 meters (earlier, according to the results of hunting, up to 4.5 meters and weighing up to 400 kg). Cannibalism has not been noticed lately, the explanation for this is the remoteness of habitats. It feeds on fish, reptiles and mammals.

Blunt-nosed crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) - West African pygmy crocodile

Grows up to 1.8 meters (maximum), weight from 18 to 32 kilograms (maximum 80 kg), occurs alone or in pairs, lives in burrows or hollows lah of trees leaning close to the water. It's a heavily armored crocodile(he needs this to protect himself from those who eat him large predators) , with dark spots on the back and sides, with a yellow belly.Compared to the largest saltwater crocodile (up to9 -and meters) he's just a baby,countsthe smallest crocodilein the world (similar in size to a smooth-fronted caiman).

Belongs to the little-studied species. According to the study, the number of crocodile is slowly decreasing due to changes in the ecosystem of habitats (deforestation, approaching places of human activity). It is listed in the Red Book with the status of little vulnerable.

Lives in western Africa. Prefers fresh water. Leads a nocturnal lifestyle. It digs deep holes, and quite often their entrance is located below the water level.

The clutch usually contains 10 eggs (sometimes up to 20).

Tomistoma schlegelii (false gharial)

Lives in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam. Prefers slow rivers, swampy lakes. Lives among thickets or on drifting islands of vegetation. The species of false gharials is listed in the Red Book with the status of “threatened with extinction. The number of all populations is no more than 2500 adults. The size of males of this species can reach up to 6 meters. Because of the elongated muzzle, it got its name - gharial. The narrow long muzzle is the result of eating habits, mainly soft mammals and reptiles. IN last years b There have been several attacks on people to her.