The oldest alligator in the world. Giant crocodile. The largest crocodile in the world

Today's largest crocodile is saltwater crocodile (from the Greek Crocodylus Porosus), males of which can reach seven meters in length and weigh one ton. Interestingly, these reptiles can often be found on the coasts of countries such as Indonesia and Australia, as well as on the islands of New Guinea.

Today is the most close-up view crocodile found on our planet. Unlike males, females are much smaller - they weigh up to half a ton, and their body length rarely exceeds three meters. As for the name “combed,” the reptile gets it in honor of the two ridges located in the eye area. The color of animals changes depending on their age. Thus, young animals have a light yellow body, on the surface of which dark hairs and spots can be seen. The color of older individuals is slightly darker. The belly is light in color, most often yellow or white.

Most often, saltwater crocodiles can be found in freshwater bodies of water, where they prefer to breed. However, the reptile feels good in brackish water. Therefore, in some cases it even displaces sharks from coastal waters. However, brackish water is usually home to young individuals that have been displaced by older crocodiles. Males periodically engage in fights over territory among themselves.

As for food, young animals prefer to eat small fish, reptiles, birds and even large insects. Adults eat different foods. So, their diet includes large crabs, monitor lizards, snakes, and so on. They often even hunt large livestock, including wild pigs, antelope or buffalo. Hunting most often occurs at dusk, when the reptile is practically invisible. She lies in wait for the victim at a watering hole and when she comes up to drink some water, suspecting nothing, the crocodile instantly attacks the victim. The strength of his jaws is so great that he can crush the skull without any problems cattle. After capturing, it tries to take the victim underwater, where it will be more difficult for him to resist.

These reptiles also attack people, and quite a few cases are recorded every year. Main problem is that the crocodile usually attacks shallow water where an unsuspecting and relaxed person is calmly bathing and swimming. Interestingly, attacks occur even on land, although such cases are extremely rare and, as experts say, they are usually caused by aggression from people.

Males usually become sexually mature at the age of 16, and females at 12. Reproduction occurs in the autumn-winter period. The female lays about 50 eggs in a hole, which she subsequently buries herself. Inside the so-called nest there is dirt mixed with leaves. The latter absorb moisture and maintain a constant temperature necessary for the eggs. Three months later, the cubs are born. It should be noted that all this time the female remains close to the nest and closely monitors her offspring, but this does not always help - often the eggs become prey to other predatory animals.

As soon as the “mother” hears the voices of her cubs, she begins to tear apart a huge pile and helps them hatch. Subsequently, he takes them closer to the water and teaches them to swim. However, no more than one percent of all offspring survive to sexual maturity, since young individuals are sent to be eaten by other predators.

The skin of this species of crocodiles is highly prized in the market, as a result of which their numbers have decreased significantly over the past 70 years. In addition, in some countries this species was completely exterminated. Most of these crocodiles can be found in Australia, where there are at least 100 thousand of them.

Philippine record holder

A few years ago in the Philippines a truly huge crocodile, whose length was as much as 6.4 meters and weighed more than a ton! As they say local residents, V lately they were faced with the loss of livestock. After this, people began to disappear and then the public became seriously worried. After a while it turned out that animals were being eaten big crocodile, living in these parts. Authorities have even suggested that a girl who went missing in 2009 and a local farmer who disappeared a year later were the prey of a predator.

As a result of an appeal from citizens, it was decided to catch the animal, which was done. True, the authorities refused to describe the catching procedure itself, but immediately after this the residents of local villages calmed down, although in fact it is still unknown whether this crocodile can really be called a cannibal, because in the Philippines there are many other predators that are not averse to feasting on human flesh. By the way, it was subsequently decided not to kill the reptile, but to send it to one of the zoos to attract tourists.

An employee of the Ministry of Labor Protection noted that this was the largest animal she had ever encountered. She also noted that the previous record belonged to another crocodile caught in these parts, whose length was 5.84 meters. The reptile is probably over 50 years old now. Whether this is true or not is unknown for sure.

Sarcosuchus

At the beginning of the Cretaceous period, the so-called Sarcosuchus lived on Earth. According to research by historians, he ate fish, as well as herbivorous dinosaurs. Lived in Africa.

For a long time, practically nothing was known about Sarcosuchus, but in the mid-twentieth century, the French paleontologist Albert-Felix de Lapparent discovered several teeth and armor scutes of an ancient animal in the Sahara. At the end of the century, another researcher was able to discover six Sarcosuchus skeletons at once. It was thanks to them that they were able to find out that this crocodile was perhaps one of the largest ever living on our planet. Thus, the length of his body reached 12 meters, the length of the skull was about 180 centimeters, and his weight was more than 8 tons. By the way, parts of the body of this predator can be found in one of the museums in Paris.

The largest alligator in the world

We think that in this same article we can tell you the largest alligator that has ever been caught - its length was 5.8 m and its weight was more than a ton! It was discovered on Marsh Island in American state Louisiana. Interestingly, there were several more very large individuals on the island, but they were still slightly smaller in size.

The alligator family includes only two species: American or Chinese (accordingly, they live only in the USA and China). The latter, by the way, is under threat of complete extinction and now the animal can only be found in the Yangtze River valley. But American alligators are common in many areas of the country - in Florida alone there are more than one million individuals.

At first glance, this species of reptile is very slow, although this is not at all the case - at short distances the animal can reach speeds of up to 45 kilometers per hour! As for nutrition, young individuals eat small fish, snails, crustaceans, insects and so on. As they grow older, they begin to feed on birds, more big fish, and sometimes carrion. But adult individuals can attack adult animals, for example, deer or even bears. They rarely attack humans because they are afraid. This, unfortunately, led to the fact that people stopped being afraid of alligators and began to approach them too close, as a result of which they, “defending” themselves, attacked. Only in five recent years There were more than 10 attacks that ended in death.

The mating season begins in the spring - as soon as the water warms up. Not far from the pond, the female builds a nest of grass, where she subsequently lays eggs - their number can vary between 20 and up. To prevent predators from eating them, the mother guards the eggs until the babies hatch. If they stay close to their mother, she protects them for another year.

Meanwhile, alligators are bred for meat and skin - this market is growing every year.

It is not so difficult to distinguish an alligator from a crocodile - the latter has a more elongated muzzle and a large fourth tooth on the upper jaw is visible.

The saltwater crocodile is the most dangerous reptile in the world. He was worshiped and feared at all times. “King of reptiles”, “thunderstorm of all living things” - all this is also said about him. Officially, he is also the largest crocodile in the world. What's special about it?

Habitat

The territory over which the reptile dominates is quite vast. These are the coastal zones of the Pacific and Indian oceans, as well as the east of India, Asia, central part Vietnam, Indonesia, New Guinea, northern Australia. Due to the fact that the largest crocodile on earth is a good swimmer, it is found in both Japan and the Philippines.

It can live in both river and sea water, and often competes with sharks in the ocean when searching for food.

The reptile chooses deep and quiet places. Typically these are seashores, grassy estuary plains, or tropical savannas.

Fight for best territories It goes on constantly, merciless battles are far from uncommon. Losing individuals go in search of new places, and often swim out to the open sea.

External description

The reptile got its name from the presence of two ridges on its head, which start from the very eyes and stretch in a stripe to the end of the muzzle. Such convex formations appear in individuals already in adulthood; they are absent in young animals.

The combed crocodile has a rather massive body, which is covered with small oval-shaped scales. Also, when describing the reptile, it is worth noting a very large head with a long muzzle, a powerful and strong tail, and well-developed legs. There are five webbed toes on the front ones, and only four on the back ones. The body of a crocodile is fully adapted for life in water.

The reptile's jaws are also impressive. Small but very sharp teeth are clearly visible in the mouth, bringers of death to everything living. Usually there are from 54 to 68 pieces, which can change up to 100 times throughout life. But the jaw muscles are not equally developed. In particular, those responsible for opening the mouth are very weak. However, the animal does not experience any particular inconvenience from this. The muscles responsible for closing are triggered instantly; it is impossible for someone else to open them by force.

The saltwater crocodile has excellent eyesight. Sees well both on land and in water. When immersed, the eyes are automatically covered by a protective membrane. However, the most developed sense is hearing. The animal is able to recognize even a slight rustle.

The world's largest crocodiles change their color throughout their lives. Juveniles are usually lighter, yellow-brown in color with almost black spots and stripes. Adult reptiles become darker, with noticeable gray and brown areas. The animal's belly is always yellow-white or ashen.

Size and age

The parameters of this type deserve special attention. The question often comes up about whether the most big crocodiles in the world what size. In answering this, it is worth noting that a lot depends on age, since an individual does not stop growing throughout its life.

Males are much larger than females. They can reach 7 m in length and weigh up to 1500 kg. However, they generally grow to 4-5.5 m with a body weight of 600-1000 kg. It is worth noting that saltwater crocodiles of the same size can have different weight(depending on age). For example, old males, occupying the best territories and having good nutrition, will be much heavier than their young relatives.

Female reptiles are significantly smaller. They reach a length of 3.5 m and weigh up to 500 kg.

In 2011, the largest crocodile in the world was caught in the Philippines, but died due to improper captivity. With a body weight of 1075 kg, he grew to 6.1 m.

On average, a saltwater crocodile lives 80-100 years. However, nowadays it is very difficult to meet an animal even older than 50 years due to its extermination by humans.

Nutrition

The reptile is a predator. Its diet consists of fish, birds, amphibians and insects. Growing up, they already hunt deer, monkeys, wild boars, turtles, and snakes. They are also attracted to livestock: cows, goats, sheep, horses and donkeys. The saltwater crocodile can also eat its smaller relatives, as well as animals such as the tiger, buffalo and leopard. The person also becomes a victim. However, the reptile's diet greatly depends on the area where it lives.

The world's largest crocodile goes hunting in the evening or morning twilight. It waits for potential prey in the water. At the same time, it is practically invisible on the surface, only the nostrils, eyes and a little of the back. The attack is always unexpected. Jumping onto land, the reptile grabs its prey, knocks it down with its tail and goes back into the pond with it. But with large fish, the crocodile, on the contrary, comes to land.

Its jaws are so strong that it can crush the shell of a turtle or break the skull of a large animal. Only the largest crocodile in the world is capable of this.

The largest crocodile, however, does not know how to chew; on land, it uses its jaws to crush the animal’s carcass and swallow it in parts. He can leave a large victim at the bottom of the reservoir so that it becomes soft. It is worth noting that this reptile eats carrion extremely rarely.

In one meal, up to a quarter of the hunter's weight can be swallowed. In this case, most of it goes into fat. This feature helps to survive long-term fasting (up to 1.5 years).

The saltwater crocodile itself has no enemies, with the exception of humans. Its meat is edible.

Reproduction

The female reaches sexual maturity by 10 years, growing to 2-2.5 m, males only by 16, reaching 3.2 m in length.

Breeding occurs during the rainy season, from March to November. The female digs a hole and lays from 20 to 90 eggs in it, then fills it with a mixture of earth, leaves, dirt and branches, forming a hill of impressive size - 50 cm in height and up to 1.8 m in diameter. Every year a new nest is dug, but the breeding site does not change.

After 80-98 days, the cubs are born. If the egg was constantly maintained at a temperature of 31-32 degrees, then males are born, if lower or higher, then females. All this time expectant mother is nearby. Little crocodiles are born all at once and begin to make sounds reminiscent of croaking. Hearing them, the female breaks the hole and helps the offspring get out. After which he carries everyone into the water with his teeth.

The world's largest crocodile is turning into a caring mother who will be with her babies for the next 1.5 years. However, only 1% of the offspring grow to adulthood, the rest become victims of predators.

Having reached two years, the reptile becomes completely independent and goes in search of its territory.

Crocodiles have various features, at first glance completely unusual for this species. Here are some of them:

• They maintain exemplary order on their territory. Crocodiles remove from the bottom everything that they consider unnecessary, throwing it onto the shore with their snouts. They destroy the thickets, and if the reservoir becomes shallow, they dig deep enough holes.
• The reptile, like a chameleon, can change its color throughout the day. So, early in the morning, when the water and air have not yet warmed up, the animal is darker. This helps it absorb the sun's rays better. As it warms up, the skin becomes lighter again.
• The largest crocodiles in the world “cry”, but not at all from pity. This way they get rid of excess salt in the body.
• They can jump out of the water up to two meters high.
• Being a cold-blooded creature, the reptile, with muscle tension, is capable of raising its body temperature 7 degrees above the ambient temperature.
• The world's largest crocodile rests with open mouth- suddenly someone accidentally falls into it.
• His teeth are hollow, and there are always new ones inside, just a little smaller. Therefore, the change occurs unnoticed by the animal itself.

The largest crocodile in captivity

The reptile named Classius Clay is quite famous in Australia. He has been living in captivity for almost 30 years. In 2013, when the crocodile celebrated its 110th birthday, he received a 20-kilogram chicken “cake” as a gift. He is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest captive and saltwater crocodile.

It is kept on one of the local farms, weighs about a ton, and has reached a length of 5.48 m. According to scientists, it will live for at least another 30 years.

Difference between a crocodile and an alligator

Often these two reptiles are confused. However, they have noticeable differences.

Alligators can only live in fresh water, because they do not know how to remove excess salt from their body, as the saltwater crocodile does through tears and special glands under the tongue.

There are also external differences. Crocodiles have a more elongated muzzle, while alligators have a wide, blunt end. Also, with the jaws closed, the record holder’s fourth tooth is clearly visible, which is not the case with his closest relative.

Crocodile in Ancient Egypt

This reptile was revered in ancient times; it was considered a sacred animal. So, in Ancient Egypt there was the god of water Sebek with the head of a crocodile. Mummified bodies of these animals have been found in caves more than once.

Every year, young girls were sacrificed to the reptiles. And if crocodiles accidentally ate someone, the victim was buried with great honor.

However, often due to abundant and improper nutrition, animals died due to obesity.

Reptile predators have always evoked feelings of fear and trepidation in people. Crocodiles occupy a special place in this niche, because their shields on the body and huge terrifying mouths truly look frightening. It is known that today crocodiles, or rather their intellectual abilities, have not been fully studied. Many scientists suggest that such predators are not able to think; their habits are controlled only by instincts inherent in nature. However, others, carefully trying to understand the world of reptiles, are convinced that crocodiles are endowed with remarkable intelligence. How else can we explain that these predators have such a developed and, perhaps, the most time-honed skill of camouflage and hiding until the right moment?

As for other aspects of the study of predatory reptiles, science knows a lot. For example, the weight, length of crocodiles, their natural views, unique pupil structure. But in this article we will talk specifically about the maximum dimensions in length of such dangerous predator and factors that can significantly affect this value.

Saltwater crocodile

One of the most large reptiles In the world, the combed crocodile (Crocodylus porosus - lat.) is considered. It lives in fresh and salt waters in the Philippines, southeast Asia and the Solomon Islands. Main feature This reptile has two ridges on its head, located symmetrically relative to the eyes, and a unique body covered with many pointed tubercles of various sizes. It is precisely because of such natural features a dangerous predator may be called a lumpy, saltwater, brackish or spongy crocodile.

Most often, individuals of this species have a belly color ranging from yellow to dark sand. Brightness depends on the age of the crocodile: than younger predator, the brighter the color. The main color of the entire upper part (occipital, dorsal and caudal) is dark olive or olive-brown. The length of the crocodile, which keeps in fear not only the animals living in its immediate vicinity, but also people living in the vicinity of reservoirs, is simply amazing.

Sizes of individuals

Many people are very surprised when they find out what is the maximum length of a saltwater crocodile. IN last decades in nature, such predators grew only to sizes of 5.0-5.5 meters in length and weighed 500 kg. Typically, a newly hatched baby weighs about 70 kg, and subsequently one head of an adult male weighs 200 kg. It is worth noting that this order of freshwater has almost the most pronounced sexual dimorphism. Male tubercles are usually twice the size, heavier and stronger than females, who in turn are only 2.7-3.4 meters long and weigh between 70 and 150 kg.

However, such dimensions cannot be considered accurate, because the length of the largest crocodile, caught more than one century ago and having characteristic spiky growths on its mighty back, was approximately 10 meters, and the weight of the individual fluctuated around 3 tons. This giant was an exception to the rule for scientists, showing that under certain conditions a predator can become a truly terrifying giant. In general, since then such giants have never been found again. There were smaller and shorter individuals. Therefore, it is considered reliable that the saltwater crocodile has a length of 7 meters. Precisely before such maximum dimensions Some males of this species are currently capable of growing.

Weight

The weight of an adult reptile predator (male), which includes a crocodile, can range from 400 kg to 2 tons. The most important factors that influence the mass of a particular representative are the age and length of the crocodile. A young male will always be lighter than an adult predator of the same size. However, it is known that crocodiles kept in captivity gain weight faster than their free relatives. Weight also depends on body type. For example, individuals living in Sarawak Malaysia) have relatively short tails, which is why they weigh slightly more than Australian tuberous crocodiles.

Scientists' conclusions regarding the maximum size of crocodiles

The length of a saltwater crocodile depends largely on its population, health, genetics and diet. This is proven by a study by Australian scientists. They caught males of this species who lived in different conditions and habitat. It turns out that representatives of such predators, who had a permanent habitat, grew to 4.31 m and weighed from 408 kg. Nomadic reptiles could not boast of such dimensions. They reached a length of only 3.89 m and weighed only about 350 kg.

The five longest crocodiles after the saltwater one

There are a little more than 20 species of crocodiles in the world. Among them, along with the combed one, which is considered the longest in nature, there are some more individuals that deserve mention:

1. Nile crocodile, males of which can grow up to 5 m in length.
2. Orinoco crocodile with maximum values ​​of 4.5-5.0 m.
3. A sharp-snouted American crocodile, measuring from 4 m.
4. growing in conditions wildlife up to 4.7 m. By the way, there is evidence that in nature reserves it was possible to feed such beauties to almost 6 m in length.
5. - 4.0-4.5 m.

Undeniable facts

Experts always argue about the maximum size of creatures that once lived on Earth, because it is difficult to determine, for example, even the length of a crocodile from the preserved remains (bones and skin). This method itself underestimates the overall length of the creature, because it is necessary to compare the ratio of the sizes of the skull and the skin, which is dried. This suggests that at the time when the predator remained alive, it was still longer, at least 10 cm, and there is no need to talk about the maximum. One thing is clear: more than 100 years ago, real giants lived on our planet, the size of which can now only be speculated upon.

Combed or saltwater crocodile(Crocodylus porosus) named Cassius is considered the largest living representative of the order.

Cassius was recognized as the largest crocodile in captivity in 2013 (5.48 m). The record holder weighs about a ton (998 kg). He was caught in 2011 in Australia. At the moment, the animal is about 100 years old. His full name- Cassius Clay. It was named after famous boxer Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay).


Cassius received the title of the largest crocodile after the death of the previous record holder - the Lolong crocodile, which reached a length of 6.17 meters. Lolong was also a member of the Crocodylus porosus species. Its representatives can live more than 100 years, grow up to 7 meters and weigh more than a ton.

The species Sarcosuchus imperator is considered the largest crocodiles to ever live. Individuals of this species lived in Africa 110 million years ago. The last fossilized remains were found in the Sahara Desert. Scientists suggest that over 50–60 years, crocodiles managed to grow to 11–12 meters in length and gain up to 8 tons of weight.