A crocodile is perhaps one of the most terrible animals that scare children. His aggression is inexplicable to an unenlightened layman, although dictated only by instinct. On the inexplicable desire of an adult crocodile to drag a victim away, a lot of plots of works of art are built to the bottom. 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 will become its size, depends on the type and gender of reptiles. Sea (it is combed) can grow more than seven meters and, accordingly, will weigh about a ton. Dwarf crocodiles (blunt, it is also 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.
Observations of the size of the crocodiles and their weight are complicated by the behavioral features and inaccessibility of reptile habitats.
Only observations of captive crocodiles are reliable. The largest crocodile that has ever been observed is a hybrid of a combed and Siamese crocodile named Yai at a farm in Thailand. Its length is 6 meters, weight - 1114 kg.
The length of the largest crocodile, caught alive, is 6.17 meters, weight - 1075 kg (Philippines).
How many crocodiles live
It is very difficult to determine the age of the crocodile. The method of measuring plate rings in teeth and bones was adopted by the usual method: once every year, when the climate changes from dry to wet, a new ring appears as a result of a change in the growth rate.
Therefore, almost always about the age of crocodiles speak with an estimated degree of probability. According to such estimates, almost all types of crocodiles live from thirty to forty years, although it is believed that large (combed, Nile, swamp, Central American) can live up to 70 years. Some of the largest specimens of combed crocodiles live more than a hundred years.
Crocodile like an animal
The name crocodile is commonly used to identify all reptiles of a crocodile species. But only representatives of the family of real crocodiles can be strictly attributed to Crocodylinae. Based on this, in this article we 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, gavialovye.
1st genus - real crocodiles:
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African narrow-toed;
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marsh;
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combed;
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Cuban;
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Nile
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New Guinean;
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Orinoc;
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witty;
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freshwater;
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Siamese;
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Philippine;
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Central American
2nd genus - blunt crocodiles. It includes only one representative - a blunt crocodile (in Latin - Osteolaemus tetraspis) - a West African dwarf crocodile.
3rd kind - gavialovye.
Also has only one representative - Tomistoma schlegelii (false gavial).
African narrow-toed (Mecistops cataphractus)
It is classified as an endangered species, little studied. Habitat - throughout western tropical Africa from Lake Tanganyika and Lake Mveru in the east / southeast to the Gambia River in the west. Length up to 4 meters (although individuals more than 3-3.5 meters today were not observed 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, they do not guard the laying, the hatching period is up to 110 days. They live in rivers overgrown with vegetation, according to estimates now up to 20, 000 adults, its number is constantly decreasing. They live in 10 subpopulations. To the question how many Mecistops cataphractus crocodiles live, scientists cannot precisely answer because of the insufficiently studied species. Estimated Red Data - 25 years.
Swamp green (Crocodylus palustris)
It is listed in the Red Book, the habitat is in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal and, possibly, Bangladesh, its range extends west to eastern Iran, the current state is about 8700 individuals, an increase of almost 6, 000 adult crocodiles since 1989.
It lives in any reservoirs, even artificially created, digs holes along the banks, where it survives in arid times or extremely cold (up to 5 degrees). It feeds on fish, mammals, birds, turtles. In the battle with the leopard, he often wins. Recently seen in an attack on people, which, according to scientists, indicates an increase in numbers.
It is considered an average species, the size of the crocodile on average: 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. In the clutch there can be up to 30 eggs, the hatching period is from 50 to 75 days. Moves well on land, can develop a decent speed - up to 12 km per hour. An interesting feature is the creation of bait for hunting birds. Crocodile lays on the face (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.
Combed, or marine
The largest species of crocodiles and the most dangerous for humans. The distribution area is in the inland and surrounding waters of Southeast Asia and Australia. This species is the most common and most studied.
How long a combed crocodile lives is most fully known, since both hunters and scientists were involved in the study of this species because of its danger. According to observations, the lifespan of this species is 50-80 years, although some specimens survived to a hundred years according to the studied remains.
The sizes of the combed crocodile are quite impressive. The maximum of those described is 10 meters, although today it is from 5 to 6 meters. Weight up to a maximum of two tons. On average - up to 700 kg.
Growing his whole life. In the biosystem of its range - the top of the food chain. Adult individuals feed not only on fish, small and medium mammals, but also on the largest animals, including predators.
According to research by 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 seawater. Tagged individuals swam to distances of up to 500 km from their traditional habitats, using sea currents to maintain strength.
Scientists define his status as the least vulnerable to extinction.
Cuban (Crocodylus rhombifer)
It is listed in the Red Book (there are up to 5, 000 adults, under the threat of extinction due to extermination and hybridization with narrow-toed (in artificial and natural conditions, the offspring reproduces). Lives in Cuba, is medium-sized in size (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 a speed of up to 17 km per hour. Females lay up to 60 eggs, the incubation period is up to 70 days. Eat fish, mammals, birds. People are rarely attacked in natural conditions; it is believed that this is due to their small numbers. In captivity, behavior is extremely aggressive towards humans.
Nile (Crocodylus niloticus)
This species is considered as aggressive as combed. The size of the crocodile is slightly smaller than the comb. The lengths of up to 6 meters are indicated in the descriptions, but to date, existing inveterate individuals, depending on the region of habitat, can be a maximum of up to 3.5 meters. There are enough modern reliable records of how much the Crocodylus niloticus crocodile weighs to estimate its weight on average. Observations show that the weight of a modern Nile crocodile can range from 250 to 350 kg.
His humane addictions are known to all inhabitants of the vast territory of sub-Saharan Africa. He prefers fresh waters of Africa, but the population noticed him in coastal waters. He, like the combed crocodile, the top of the food chain of its ecosystem, eats everything and of various weights, which it can reach, jump, grab. The status of an animal is the least dangerous for extinction.
New Guinean (Crocodylus novaeguineae)
Relatively small of real crocodiles. According to research, DNA is recognized as a close relative of the Filipino, but is isolated. 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 destroyed in the region of the fifties and sixties of the last century due to valuable skin. In 1970, after the adoption of the program of measures for conservation, by 1996 the population was restored for the natural continuation of the population. Now they, according to various estimates, up to 50 thousand.
The size of the Crocodylus novaeguineae crocodile is from 2.7 meters in females to 3.5 meters in males. The measured body weight is 294.5 kg.
The New Guinean crocodile is divided into two populations - northern and southern. The lifestyle (especially masonry) of the crocodiles in them is slightly different. In the northern population, the nest is built on water from plants, in the southern - more often on land.
The New Guinean crocodile is the most vociferous crocodile: both kids and adults make a huge number of sounds for different life situations, which allows them to "communicate".
Orinoc
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.
In the fifties and sixties of the last century, after a mass hunt, he was almost on the verge of extinction of the population. In 1970, after the introduction of protective status, the number 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 (Orinoco river 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. In connection with little knowledge (due to the lack of individuals themselves), there is a problem in determining the mass. It is known from hunters how much the Crocodylus intermedius crocodile weighs, the average weight of the male is 380 kg, the female is 225 kg.
In clutch there is a maximum of 70 eggs. The mother not only protects the eggs for two and a half months before hatching, but also takes care of the babies in the next three years.
Cases of attacks on people are known. But due to the small population and inaccessibility of habitats, this rarely happens.
Keen
The largest crocodile of the New World. Lives in fresh and salt lakes, in estuaries. Move well on the water, populating the islands. The size of the crocodile of this species depends on the population, somewhere less (on average up to 4 meters), somewhere larger (up to 5-6 meters in mature males). The main food - fish, unlike combed and nile (similar in size), do not switch to feeding with mammals. Seen in attacks on people, although these are quite rare cases.
Freshwater (Crocodylus johnsoni)
It inhabits the rivers of Australia, does not go out to sea and estuaries, being afraid of being caught by a combed (marine) crocodile. It feeds on fish and small vertebrates. Sizes on average up to 3 meters, in a population in northern Australia, the size is smaller. Not dangerous for humans, since the compressive force of their jaws is rather weak. How many crocodiles Crocodylus johnsoni live in captivity (in particular, in the 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)
Lives in Indonesia, Brunei, in eastern Malaysia, southern Indochina. Crocodile populations living in all countries of the region total only 5, 000 individuals. It is listed in the Red Book. Special conservation programs have been successfully implemented in Cambodia and Thailand. The maximum size of this crocodile is 3 meters, although when hybridized with combed, up to 4 meters. It feeds on fish and small vertebrates.
Filipino (Crocodylus mindorensis)
Endangered species, only 200 adults. Size up to a maximum of three meters. It feeds on fish and small mammals. Previously considered a subspecies of the New Guinean crocodile, now it is isolated.
Central American (Crocodylus moreletii)
Lives in the tropical forests of Central America. The size of males in today's conditions is up to 2.7 meters (previously according to the results of hunting - up to 4.5 meters and weighing up to 400 kg). In cannibalism recently not seen, the explanation for this is the remoteness of habitats. It feeds on fish, reptiles and mammals.
Bull-headed crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) - West African dwarf crocodile
It grows to 1.8 meters (maximum), weight is from 18 to 32 kilograms (maximum - 80 kg), occurs alone or in pairs, lives in burrows or hollows of trees, inclined close to water. This is a heavily armored crocodile (it needs it to protect it from large predators eating it), with dark spots on its back and sides, with a yellow belly. Compared to the largest combed crocodile (up to 9 meters), it is just a baby, is considered the smallest crocodile in the world (similar in size to a smooth-faced cayman).
Belongs to poorly 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 a little vulnerable.
Lives in western Africa. Prefers fresh water. Leads a nocturnal lifestyle. Digs deep holes, and quite often their entrance is located below the water level.
In clutch, most often 10 eggs (sometimes up to 20 can be).
