Crocodile

CROCODILE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Crocodilia
Family: Crocodylidae
Genus: Crocodylus, Osteolaemus, Mecistops
Scientific Name: Crocodylus acutus, Crocodylus intermedius, Crocodylus johnsoni, Crocodylus mindorensis, Crocodylus moreletii, Crocodylus niloticus, Crocodylus novaeguineae, Crocodylus palustris, Crocodylus porosus, Crocodylus rhombifer, Crocodylus siamensis, Osteolaemus tetraspis, Mecistops cataphractus
Common Name: Crocodile, Croc
Other Name(s): American crocodile, Orinoco crocodile, Freshwater crocodile, Philippine crocodile, Mexican crocodile, Nile crocodile, New Guinea crocodile, Mugger crocodile, Estuarine crocodile, Cuban crocodile, Siamese crocodile, Dwarf crocodile, Slender-snouted crocodile
Group: Reptile
Number Of Species: 13
Location: North, Central and South America, Africa, Asia, Australia
Habitat: Rivers, lakes, marshes, lagoons, mangrove swamps and estuaries
Colour: Dull olive, grey, brown, black
Skin Type: Plate-like scales
Size (L): 1.7m - 7m (5.5ft - 23ft)
Weight: 18kg - 1,000kg (40lbs - 2,200lbs)
Top Speed: 40kph (25mph)
Diet: Carnivore
Prey: Fish, crustaceans, deer, buffalo
Predators: Humans, Large felines, Birds of prey
Lifestyle: Nocturnal
Group Behaviour: Social
Lifespan: 20 - 70 years
Age Of Sexual Maturity: 4 - 12 years
Incubation Period: 3 months
Average Clutch Size: 17 - 100
Name Of Young: Hatchling
Age Of Independence: 1 - 2 years
Conservation Status: Least Concern, Vulnerable, Critically Endangered
Estimated Population Size: Unknown
Biggest Threat: Habitat loss and hunting
Most Distinctive Feature: Eyes and nostrils located on top of the head and snout
Fun Fact: Known to eat pebbles to aid digestion and buoyancy

Crocodile Classification and Evolution 
Crocodiles are a standout amongst the most notable and fearsome creatures on the planet. Their incredible bodies, solid jaws and colossal speed and nimbleness alongside their unparalleled stealth, has lead to them being one of the world's most zenith predators in their regular habitats. Firmly identified with different crocodilians including gators, caimans, and gharials, crocodiles have changed almost no in a developmental sense in 200 million years. In contrast to other reptile species, crocodilians are archosaurs which is an old gathering of reptiles that additionally included dinosaurs. In spite of the fact that dinosaurs ended up terminated 65 million years back, crocodiles are thought to have endure so well after some time because of the way that they are so appropriate to their surroundings. Today, there are 13 distinctive crocodile species that are found possessing both new and saltwater conditions all through North and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Their semi-sea-going nature has prompted them developing various key adjustments that enable them to endure so effectively in their common habitats.

Crocodile Anatomy and Appearance 
Crocodiles are expansive estimated reptiles with thick, flaky skin that is comprised of heavily clad, waterproof plates that both shields them from potential predators and furthermore keeps their bodies from drying out. These scales arrive in an assortment of hues from dull olive and green, to dark colored, grays and dark implying that they are exceptionally effectively covered in the encompassing water and vegetation. Like other crocodilian species, their eyes and nostrils are situated on the highest point of their expansive head and nose so they can lay in hold up in the water with practically none of their bodies presented so as to all the more effectively trap prey. Their vertically leveled tails are colossally solid and are utilized to impel them through the water, as despite the fact that they do have webbed feet, they don't utilize them to help them when swimming. So as to secure them in the water, crocodiles have an extraordinary straightforward third eyelid which enables them to leave their eyes open yet keeps harm from the water. They additionally have outer folds that shut off their ears and nostrils, and an exceptional respiratory framework that enables them to stay in the water for as long as five hours on end. Crocodiles go in size from the under 2 meter long midget crocodile to the 7 meter long estuarine crocodile (otherwise called the saltwater crocodile or "saltie"), which is the world's heaviest reptile weighing up to 1,000kg.

Crocodile Distribution and Habitat 
Crocodiles are found in an assortment of wetland natural surroundings all through the hotter tropical waters in the southern Hemisphere. Their powerlessness to inside control their body temperature implies that they depend intensely on the sun to warm their bodies up after it being cooled by investing energy in the water. The American Crocodile is the biggest crocodilian species in North and South America and is found occupying freshwater waterways and lakes, alongside harsh waterfront waters close estuaries and in tidal ponds from southern Florida, all through Central America and into northern parts of South America. Over in Africa, the Nile Crocodile was once across the board in eastern and southern Africa yet are presently scarcer. They occupy freshwater bogs, streams, lakes and mangrove swamps. The world's biggest and most broadly scattered crocodile species is the estuarine crocodile. These imposing reptilian mammoths are found in waterway mouths and saline marshes from the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean, crosswise over to and all through Southeast Asia and down into Australia.

Crocodile Behavior and Lifestyle 
Similarly as different reptiles, crocodiles are not ready to control their body temperature themselves and rather depend intensely on the warmth of the sun to warm their colossal bodies up. Amid the hot sunlight hours, they relax in the sun on the riverbanks warming their bodies up from a night of chasing. Littler species like the midget crocodile (which is the least notable of the crocodile species) are additionally known to climb trees so as to luxuriate on the branches. Another way crocodiles can manage their body temperature is by weaving here and there in the water, warming in the sun superficially and chilling themselves off underneath it. Crocodiles are profoundly friendly creatures that stay together in expansive, blended gatherings of grown-ups and adolescents. Be that as it may, when the mating season starts, the guys turn out to be exceptionally regional and shield their stretch of stream bank from interruption by contenders by raising their vast heads high out of sight and thundering at interlopers. At the point when female Nile crocodiles are pulled in by these commotions, the guys start to whip their bodies around and even shoot water into the air from their noses.

Crocodile Reproduction and Life Cycles 
Subsequent to mating, the female crocodile lays between 17 (overshadow crocodiles) and 100 (Nile crocodiles) eggs in a home made up of soil and vegetation, for example, leaves, which keeps the eggs from ending up too cold should the home end up overflowed amid hatching. In territories inclined to flooding, they are additionally known to manufacture settle hills to raise the eggs out of the risk from flood waters. The brooding time frame is typically around 3 months in length with hatchlings frequently rising to agree with the start of the blustery season to keep their bodies from drying out. In spite of their fearsome notoriety, female crocodiles are unimaginably minding moms and monitor their homes furiously to shield them from predators until they are prepared to bring forth. When the hatchlings start to rise, the female crocodile at that point encourages them down to the water via conveying them in the throat pocket in her mouth. Strikingly the thin-shelled, rugged eggs of crocodiles (and to be sure other progressively present day reptile species) was a transformative leap forward for some species as their defensive layer and waterproof nature implied that females could lay their eggs ashore as opposed to in water, even in the driest of spots, which means they could be better shielded from predators.

Crocodile Diet and Prey 
Crocodiles are profoundly meat eating and imposing predators and at the highest point of the evolved way of life in their indigenous habitats. Their powerlessness to bite sustenance has prompted the advancement of snare chasing methods, and solid ground-breaking jaws with teeth that are utilized to shred nourishment. Youthful crocodiles depend vigorously on fish, shellfish, and little well evolved creatures, winged creatures and reptiles, however as they become bigger they can take a lot greater prey animal groups including, deer, zebra and water bison. Crocodiles are regularly increasingly dynamic amid the night, with a few species being known to wander onto land to get prey, animals and now and again, individuals. Because of their exceptionally amiable nature, Nile crocodiles (which overwhelmingly feed on fish), are known to cooperate so as to cordon angle off in areas of stream when they are relocating. Catfish make up a vast segment of their normal eating regimens and by keeping their numbers under control, this enables little fish species to even now flourish. These fish (which would usually be immediately eaten by the bigger catfish) at that point give nourishment to more than 40 types of fledgling, that consequently prepare the waters with their droppings and keep them rich with supplements so various creature species can keep on flourishing.

Crocodile Predators and Threats 
Because of the huge size and exceedingly forceful nature of these peak predators, grown-up crocodiles include not many predators inside their regular habitats except for incidental takings by enormous felines, for example, lions, pumas and tigers. The littler and considerably more helpless adolescents be that as it may, are gone after by various creature species around the globe from wild pigs, mutts and substantial reptiles to flying creatures of prey like birds. In spite of the fact that they are basic in specific regions, crocodiles are undermined all through a lot of their normal extents from chasing, natural surroundings misfortune and environmental changes further down the evolved way of life due to overfishing or water contamination, which at that point affects them higher up the evolved way of life.

Crocodile Interesting Facts and Features 
Albeit most crocodile species possess freshwater locales, for example, marshes, waterways and lakes, there are various species that adventure into increasingly salty waters around the coasts. American crocodiles are frequently found in estuaries and tidal ponds near the shores yet can manage the higher saltiness levels by drinking a lot of freshwater at whatever point conceivable, and by expelling salt from the body by discharging crocodiles tears through the organs all over. In times of dry season, they are likewise known to tunnel profound into the mud so as to prevent their bodies from drying out and won't eat anything until the water returns. On the opposite side of the world, estuarine crocodiles have been watched eating rocks found on the riverbeds. The procedure of this is thought to crush their sustenance, accordingly supporting assimilation yet in addition goes about as a counterbalance to help with lightness while skimming on the outside of the water.

Crocodile Relationship with Humans 
The connection among crocodiles and individuals has been a dependable purpose of conflict for a great many years. Their very forceful and ground-breaking nature of assault on predators has brought about various human fatalities an on yearly premise, with a few people really having been chased by crocodiles just as in snare on the banks of the streams. In spite of the fact that loss of life numbers are declining because of better instruction and nearby information about the impressive idea of these huge reptiles, around 1,000 passings are still assessed to happen each year. Crocodiles everywhere throughout the world have likewise been intensely chased for their extreme, waterproof skins which are utilized in the make of dress including coats, packs and shoes. Crocodiles have likewise been influenced intensely by expanding human action in numerous districts the world over, with the extension of settlements and an expansion in stream traffic because of chasing, angling and the travel industry. 

Crocodile Conservation Status and Life Today 
Today, albeit some nearby populaces are believed to be steady, all through quite a bit of their regular ranges the populace numbers for all crocodiles species are declining. Out of the 13 diverse crocodile species, 6 has been recorded as Least Concern, 2 have been recorded as Vulnerable and 5 have been recorded as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Of these species, the Philippine crocodile is by a wide margin the most in danger with under 200 people evaluated to stay in nature.