Photo by: Tomás Castelazo

A LOT OF CROC
The American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is one of four New World crocodiles and is considered the most wide-spread in range. These massive cold-blooded creatures can be found throughout Central America, the Caribbean, northern portions of South America, and in South Florida. Crocodiles prefer to live in coastal habitats with intermediate water salinity and minimal wave action, such as brackish tidal estuaries, lagoons and mangrove swamps.

"Cocodrilos,” as they are known in some parts of the world feed on fish, crabs, birds, turtles, snakes, and small mammals. During late April, early May female crocodiles lay an average of 20 to 60 eggs in a single night and store them in nesting mounds or ground holes. Approximately 90 days later, mother crocodiles return to unearth nests and assist the young in hatching. A mother croc may even carefully crack eggs with her mouth in order to help hatchlings escape their shells.  

Photo by: Tomás Castelazo

CROCS vs. GATORS
To the untrained eye it may be difficult to distinguish a crocodile from an alligator, but there are simple ways to identify one from the other. For example, crocodiles tend to be olive-green or grayish in color, while alligators posess a much darker, almost blackish tone. A crocodile’s large fourth tooth juts out from the lower jaw and is clearly visible; whereas an alligator’s upper jaw overlaps the lower portion of its mouth and thus, conceals this fourth tooth. The most obvious physical difference is in the shape of the nose. Alligators have short, broad U-shaped snouts, while crocodiles have a much longer, narrower V-shaped nose.

Resources for this article have been provided by Crocodilians Natural History and Conservation and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.