One of the 10 crocodiles on WAnimals
Reptiles · Crocodilia · Crocodylidae
African Dwarf Crocodile
Osteolaemus tetraspis
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
A male acquired in 1940 died at Lincoln Park Zoo in 2010 at least 70 years old, having fathered his first confirmed offspring at 67.
Weight
3.6 kg – 81.6 kg
Size
1.7 m – 1.9 m
Lifespan
50 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
Moderate
Fun facts
- One individual lived at least 70 years in captivity, fathering his first confirmed offspring at 67.
- It produces a unique glandular secretion called dianeackerone, still poorly understood.
- It is the second smallest crocodile in the world, after Cuvier's dwarf caiman.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton with osteoderms (crocodilian reptile)
- Habitat & environment
- Small streams, swamps and mangroves of lowland and mid-altitude West and Central sub-Saharan Africa
- Birth weight
- Exact weight at hatching not found as a precise figure
- Size at birth
- Precocial at hatching
- Sexual maturity
- 5 years
- Gestation / incubation
- Exact duration not specified as a precise figure
- Litter / clutch size
- 10 eggs per clutch on average
- Lifespan in captivity
- Documented record of up to 70 years in captivity
Sources consulted: SDZWA Library Fact Sheet; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Britannica; A-Z Animals; Wikipedia (Dwarf crocodile); Earthpedia; EDGE of Existence
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: All year round, at night, in forest streams, pools and swampy ground of western and central Africa.
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 20 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with African Dwarf Crocodile — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Slender-snouted Crocodile
Mecistops cataphractus
Least ConcernNile Crocodile
Crocodylus niloticus
VulnerableAfrican Manatee
Trichechus senegalensis
VulnerableLeopard
Panthera pardus
African Golden Cat
Caracal aurata
Shoebill
Balaeniceps rex
How to help
The african dwarf crocodile is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 6 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about african dwarf crocodile.
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