What crocodile species are there? A detailed illustrated guide to their habits and lifestyle

I believe everyone's understanding of crocodiles basically comes from sources like animal documentaries, movies and zoos. Seeing such enormous creatures inevitably fills people with fear. Crocodiles have hard skin, huge mouths and sharp teeth, and are a wild animal with very high economic value. However, wild populations are gradually declining now, and many countries are working hard on artificial breeding. So what crocodile species are there? What are their habits and lifestyle like? Pictures attached.

1. What crocodile species are there?

There are not many crocodile species left in the world today, only twenty-three remain, namely the Indian gharial, the Orinoco crocodile, the false gharial, the Morelet's crocodile, the African slender-snouted crocodile, the Nile crocodile, the mugger crocodile, the Siamese crocodile (Thailand crocodile), the New Guinea crocodile, the saltwater crocodile, the Australian freshwater crocodile, the American alligator, the African dwarf crocodile, Johnson's crocodile, the American crocodile, the Chinese alligator, the broad-snouted caiman, the spectacled caiman, the Yacare caiman, the black caiman, the smooth-fronted caiman, the Philippine crocodile, and the Cuban crocodile.

Among these species, the American crocodile is the most numerous and most widely distributed. Among them, the largest is the saltwater crocodile; the longest of these reaches a body length of twelve meters, and the heaviest weighs almost several tons. The smallest of these crocodiles is the smooth-fronted caiman; even as an adult, its body length is no more than one meter two. The black caiman is the crocodile most fond of attacking livestock, so it is often hunted and killed by locals.

The main crocodile species in our country is the Chinese alligator, mainly concentrated in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi and other places. The Chinese alligator is also a relatively small species, usually only one meter five in body length, not as large as the Siamese crocodile and Nile crocodile. The Chinese alligator is a first-class protected animal in our country, and hunting and trading it are illegal. Most crocodiles bred in captivity now are Nile crocodiles, Siamese crocodiles and saltwater crocodiles, and breeding them requires approval from the relevant authorities.

2. What are crocodiles' habits and lifestyle like?

Crocodiles are carnivorous aquatic animals, usually feeding on fish, rabbits, frogs, deer, waterfowl and so on. They are quite aggressive, and many animals are no match for them, because they have very sharp teeth and a huge gaping mouth.

According to relevant information, crocodiles generally need to climb in order to secure a good hunting position, or to get as close as possible to places with light.

Crocodiles are ectothermic aquatic animals and basically cannot generate their own body heat; they must rely on the outside environment to reach a certain temperature. So they often have to climb to places exposed to light to warm their bodies. In summer, when the temperature is high, they must hide under the shade of trees or in places with water to lower their body temperature. If they cannot access water for a long time and are exposed to the sun, it will not be long before their heat cannot be released and they die.