Belize Crocodile

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The snout of the Belize Crocodile is comparatively short and bluntly rounded at its tip, about 1.5 to 1.7 times as long as broad at the level of the front corners of the eyes. It has an unpaired elliptical swelling directed longitudinally in front of the eyes. The colour of the upper body surface is dark olive, in young animals somewhat lighter and with dark crossbands on the flanks and on the tail. The lower surface is uniformly light, without dark blotches. The iris is greenish. It can grow up to 3.6 m, but is usually about 2.7 m.

Did you know?
that, due to the high quality of their skin, numbers of Morelet's crocodile were severely depleted by hunting during the middle of 20th Century? Regrettably this trend continues through further illegal and indiscriminate taking of skins, and also the increased development of the rainforest areas threatens the survival of the species.

Factsheet
Class	REPTILIA
Order	CROCODYLIA
Suborder	EUSUCHIA
Family	CROCODYLIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Crocodylus moreletii
Name (English)	Belize Crocodile
Name (French)	Crocodile de Morelet
Name (German)	Beulenkrokodil
Name (Spanish)	Cocodrilo de Morelet
CITES Status	Appendix I
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Adrian Pingstone

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Belize, Guatemala, Mexico
Habitat	Freshwater areas and brackish waters
Wild population	Approx. 10.000-20.000 in 2009 (Crocodilian 2012). Due to a wll planned conservation measures the populations in the wild have recovered.
Zoo population	50 reported to ISIS (2005)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 42 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

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