American Crocodile
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| Crocodylus acutus (Cuvier, 1807) |
The American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is one of the four species of New World crocodile and the most wide-spread in range. It occurs from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern Mexico and in South America as far as Peru and Venezuela. It also breeds on Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola, and there is a remnant population of approximately 2,000 in Florida, United States. The population in the United States is restricted only to the very southern tip of Florida. The habitat of the American crocodile consists largely of freshwater or brackish water coastal habitats, and mangrove swamps. The American crocodile is larger than some other crocodile species, with males reaching lengths of 6.1 m (20 ft), but rarely exceed a length of 4 m (13 feet) in Florida [1].
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[edit] Discovery
The species was first made known to science in 1875, when a museum collector named Willaim T. Hornaday was sent from Washington to Florida in order to collect alligator skins. Upon hearing of a "big old gator" in Arch Creek at the head of Biscayne Bay, Hornaday and his companions searched for it and reported: "In a few hours we got sight of him, out on the bank in a saw-grass wallow. He was a monster for size-a perfect whale of a saurian, grey in colour-and by all the powers, he was a genuine crocodile!"[2]
[edit] Physical characteristics
Like all crocodiles, the American Crocodile is a quadruped, with four short, splayed legs; a long, powerful tail; a scaly hide with rows of ossified scutes running down its back and tail; and a strong pair of jaws. It has nictitating membranes to protect its eyes, and it does have lachyrmal glands, and can cleanse its eyes with tears.
The nostrils, eyes, and ears are situated on the top of its head, so the rest of the body can remain concealed underwater. Cryptic coloration also helps them prey on food. American crocodiles normally crawl along on their belly, but they can also "high walk". Smaller specimens can gallop, and even larger crocodiles are capable of surprising bursts of speed. They can swim equally fast by moving their body and tail in a sinuous fashion, but they cannot sustain this form of movement for an extended period. The average mature male is 4 m (13 ft) long and weighs 182 kg (400 lb), and the average female is 3 m (10 ft) and 73 kg (160 lb).[3] This species is said to grow largest in the South American river basins, but even old males do not generally exceed 6 m (20 ft). One claim in old hunting journal reports of a 7.3 meter (24 foot) male, but this is unconfirmed and considered suspect due to the lack of supporting evidence. However, a skull of this species was found to measure 72.6 cm (28.7 in) and is estimated to have belonged to a crocodile of 6.6 m (22 ft) in length.[4]
American crocodiles are more susceptible to cold than American alligators. Unlike the American alligator which can subsist in water of 7.2 degrees for some time, an American crocodile would become helpless and drown. It is thought that this intolerance to cold is the reason why American crocodiles never spread far as north as the alligators.[2]
Unlike the Nile crocodile which is sometimes cleared of parasites by birds, the American crocodile relies more on fish for parasite removal.[2]
Due to hide hunting, pollution, loss of habitat, and removal of adults for commercial farming, the American Crocodile is endangered in parts of its range.
[edit] Diet
American Crocodile prey can range in size from the insects taken by young crocodiles to cattle taken by large adults and includes birds, mammals, fish, turtles, crabs, snails, frogs, and occasionally carrion.[5][6]
[edit] Attacks on humans
This species can be dangerous to humans; attacks in areas such as Costa Rica, Mexico and Guatemala are not uncommon. These attacks rarely make international news, and therefore this species is not as well-documented a man-eater as its Nile or Saltwater relatives. The first recorded fatality occurred on Biscayne Bay when a man shot a crocodile and was mauled to death when he inspected the wounded animal.[2] In May of 2007, there were two separate instances within one week of children being attacked and killed by this species – one in Mexico just south of Puerto Vallarta [1] and one in Costa Rica[2].
[edit] Habitat
This species prefers habitat similar to that of the Saltwater crocodile of Southeast Asia and Australia. River mouths, brackish waters, salt lakes (specifically, Lake Enriquillo, in the Dominican Republic), and can even be found at sea (hence its wide distribution in the Caribbean).[2]
[edit] Population
The American crocodile is a vulnerable species. It has an estimated wild population of 500 to 1200 in South Florida[3]. On March 20, 2007 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declassified the American crocodile as an endangered species, downgrading its status to 'threatened'; the reptile remains protected from illegal harassing, poaching or killing under the federal Endangered Species Act. [7] One thousand to 2,000 American crocodiles exist in Mexico, Central and South America.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- ^ <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/american-crocodile.html?nav=A-Z>
- ^ a b c d e Guggisberg, C.A.W. (1972). Crocodiles: Their Natural History, Folklore, and Conservation, pp.195. ISBN 0715352725.
- ^ Savage, The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica: A Herpetofauna between Two Continents, between Two Seas. University Of Chicago Press (2005), ISBN 978-0226735382
- ^ Wood, The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. Sterling Pub Co Inc (1983), ISBN 978-0851122359
- ^ American Crocodile, American Crocodile Profile, Facts, Information, Photos, Pictures, Sounds, Habitats, Reports, News - National Geographic
- ^ Crocodilian Species - American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus)
- ^ American Crocodile No Longer Near Extinction. March 21, 2007.
- Crocodile Specialist Group (1996). Crocodylus acutus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Vulnerable (VU A1ac v2.3)
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