Species group · Reptiles
Crocodilians
WAnimals has 6 species of crocodilian, spread across 2 families (Alligatoridae, Crocodylidae).
- 6 species
- 2 families
- 22 countries
- 33 parks
- Weight
- 5.4 kg – 750 kg
- Length
- 1.2 m – 6 m
- Lifespan
- 30 – 65 years
Ranges calculated from the entries that record the figure, not from all 6.
All 6 species of crocodilians on WAnimals
Each one has its own full entry. This group does not replace them: it brings them together.
Least ConcernAmerican Alligator
Alligator mississippiensis
Least ConcernSpectacled Caiman
Caiman crocodilus
Least ConcernBlack Caiman
Melanosuchus niger
Dwarf Caiman
Paleosuchus palpebrosus
Orinoco Crocodile
Crocodylus intermedius
Chinese Alligator
Alligator sinensis
Conservation status
2 especies in this group están en alguna categoría de riesgo real según la UICN.
See the global conservation statusWhere they live
Recorded in 22 countries. The ones with the most species in the group:
Where to see them
Did you know…
The sex of the hatchlings is set by the nest temperature: above 34°C they are male, below 30°C female.
From American Alligator
It eats fish, turtles, snakes, birds and small mammals, matching its prey to its own size.
From American Alligator
It lives in fresh-water rivers, lakes, swamps and marshes of the south-eastern United States.
From American Alligator
The bony ridge between its eyes recalls the bridge of a pair of spectacles, hence its name.
From Spectacled Caiman
It is the most widely distributed crocodilian in the world.
From Spectacled Caiman
Several females may gather hatchlings from different mothers into communal crèches.
From Spectacled Caiman
It is the top predator of the Amazon basin and the largest caiman species in the world.
From Black Caiman
More than 90% of its population was wiped out in a century by hunting for its skin.
From Black Caiman