One of the 10 crocodiles on WAnimals
Reptiles · Crocodilia · Crocodylidae
Nile Crocodile
Crocodylus niloticus
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary
One of the largest freshwater predators in Africa, with a bite among the most powerful in the animal kingdom.
Weight
225 kg – 750 kg
Size
3 m – 5 m
Lifespan
45 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Irregular activity
Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
Fun facts
- It can hold its breath underwater for over an hour.
- Its bite is one of the strongest ever measured.
- It was worshipped as a deity in Ancient Egypt.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - heavily ossified bony skeleton, robust skull (reptile)
- Habitat & environment
- Freshwater rivers, lakes and wetlands of sub-Saharan Africa, present in 26 countries
- Size at birth
- The hatchlings break out of the shell with their mother's help and stay in her care for several months
- Sexual maturity
- Female: 12-14 years | Male: 12-19 years (some sources give an average of up to 16 years)
- Gestation / incubation
- ~80-90 days (approximately 3 months)
- Litter / clutch size
- 25 to 80 eggs per clutch
- Lifespan in captivity
- 70 - 100 years (some records exceed 56 years documented)
Sources consulted: Britannica; EBSCO Research Starters; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Animalia.bio; AnimalSpot
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: July to October, during the wildebeest migration
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 12 de 59 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Nile Crocodile — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Slender-snouted Crocodile
Mecistops cataphractus
African Dwarf Crocodile
Osteolaemus tetraspis
Near ThreatenedBull Shark
Carcharhinus leucas
VulnerableLeatherback Sea Turtle
Dermochelys coriacea
African Catfish
Clarias gariepinus
Least ConcernAfrican Fish-Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
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Based on what we already know about nile crocodile.
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