American Crocodile

Facts

IUCN VULNERABLE (VU)

Facts about this animal

The American Crocodile has a comparatively long snout, about 2.5 times as long as broad at the level of the front corners of the eyes. It has an unpaired longitudinal swelling on the basis of the snout in front of the eyes and the surface of the upper eyelid is wrinkled. The colour of the upper body surface is light olive, also in old animals; in young ones with dark blotches and sprinkles. The lower surface is uniformly light, without dark blotches. The American Crocodile can grow up to a length of 7.7 m, but is usually about 3.8 m.

Did you know?
that there is a population of American crocodiles living in the brackish water cooling canals at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant in Florida?

Factsheet
Class	REPTILIA
Order	CROCODYLIA
Suborder	EUSUCHIA
Family	CROCODYLIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Crocodylus acutus
Name (English)	American Crocodile
Name (French)	Crocodile américain
Name (German)	Spitzkrokodil
Name (Spanish)	Caimán americano
CITES Status	Appendix I, except for population of Cuba in Appendix II
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Thomás Castelazo

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, United States, Venezuela
Habitat	Found in both freshwater and brakish/saline lakes, coastal lagoons and mangrove swamps
Wild population	Approx. 10'000-20'000. In big parts of its natural range C. acutus is still threatened in its existence but in other parts the populations have recovered due to conservation measures and systematic management. In southern Florida e. g. the status has been lowered from “endangered” to “threatened” in 2007.
Zoo population	46 reported to ISIS

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

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

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Pierre Fidenci

Why do zoos keep this animal

As an inhabitant of brackish water it is a flagship species for its endangered natural habitat. However outside of its range C. acutus can only rarely be seen in zoos.

How this animal should be kept

With its respectable size of about 4 m Crocodylus acutus needs a spacious, well structured, enclosure with appropriate bsking sites and a simulation of sandy beaches for nest building. If there is sufficient space and rich structure it is possible to keep several animals, however keeping only a pair or one male and two females is recommended. Although C. acutus lives in brackish or salt water it can be kept in freshwater. The surrounding fence or moat needs to be strong and have substantial foundations as crocodilians are very good at digging. In temperate or colder climatic zones keeping outdoors may, however, be possible at best during the summer period.

Mostly, the animals will have to be kept in indoor facilities where the following minimum standards should apply: For a pair of adults an enclosure with no less than 15 m² land and 20 m² water surface is required, for each additional adult both, land and water part, are to be enlarged by 5 m². Average water depth 120 cm. The landpart should be structured e.g. by logs, the floor should be covered with sand or gravel. Floor temperature locally 35 ºC (floor heating), air temperature 24-30 ºC, water temperature 24-26 ºC. Humidity 60-80 %. Light phase 12-14 h per day, HQI lamps. Daily ultraviolet irradiation.