Reptiles · Crocodilia · Crocodylidae

Morelet's Crocodile

Crocodylus moreletii

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It was hunted almost to extinction through the 1940s and 1950s for its valuable skin, and has recovered markedly since hunting was banned.

Weight

30 kg – 58 kg

Size

1.5 m – 4.7 m

Lifespan

55 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Estimated population

Close to 20,000 adults in the wild after a notable recovery: the species was on the brink of extinction in the 1940s and 1950s through hunting for the skin trade, and today holds healthy populations across much of its range in Mexico, northern Guatemala and Belize

RainforestFreshwaterCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Reptile Rainforest Freshwater

8countries 5parks 2dive sites10same family

Fun facts

It was hunted almost to extinction for its skin, and recovered once hunting was banned.
It builds nests up to 3 metres across from soil and rotting vegetation.
Both parents take an active part in defending the young.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton with osteoderms (crocodilian reptile)
Habitat & environment: Swamps, freshwater marshes and riverine forest rivers on the Atlantic side of Mexico, Belize and Guatemala
Birth weight: Exact weight at hatching not found as a precise figure
Size at birth: Precocial at hatching
Sexual maturity: 7-8 years (~1.5 m long, though occasionally from 4 years)
Gestation / incubation: Exact duration not specified as a precise figure
Litter / clutch size: 20 to 50 eggs per clutch
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 42-80 years in captivity

Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Britannica; Animalia.bio; Animal Diversity Web; USGS NAS Species Profile; The Animal Facts; Wikipedia (Morelet's crocodile); IUCN Red List, evaluación de Crocodylus moreletii; IUCN SSC Crocodile Specialist Group; World Land Trust || IUCN SSC Crocodile Specialist Group, ficha de Crocodylus moreletii; Platt y Thorbjarnarson 2000

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: From April to June, just before the rainy season, when the females build their mound nests beside the water; surveys of the species are carried out at night with a spotlight, because that is when it can be detected