What length units are used to measure crocodiles? How much does a crocodile weigh? The smallest and largest crocodile

The crocodile is a semi-aquatic vertebrate wild animal, belongs to the phylum chordata, class reptiles, order crocodiles (lat. Crocodilia).

Yours Russian name The predator got its name from the Greek word “crocodilos,” which literally means “pebble worm.” Most likely, this is what the Greeks called the reptile, whose lumpy skin looks like a pebble, and whose long body and characteristic body movements resemble a worm.

IN sea ​​water The crocodile feeds on fish, saw-nosed stingrays and even stingrays, including white stingrays, the size of which is not inferior to, and often exceeds in length, the attacking crocodile. The menu consisting of mammals is especially varied. A successful hunt brings a crocodile for dinner, a monitor lizard, a wild boar, a buffalo or.

Often the prey of a crocodile becomes, and. Crocodiles also eat monkeys, raccoons, martens, etc. Given the opportunity to have a snack, they will not refuse to attack any domestic animals, be it cattle or cattle. Some crocodiles eat each other, that is, they do not hesitate to attack their own kind.

How does a crocodile hunt?

Crocodiles spend most of the day in the water, and hunt only after dark. The reptile swallows small prey whole. In a duel with a large prey, the crocodile's weapon is brute force. Large land animals, such as deer and buffalo, are guarded by a crocodile at a watering hole, attacked suddenly and dragged into the water, where the victim is unable to resist. Large fish, on the contrary, are dragged into shallow water, where it is easier to deal with prey.

The massive jaws of a crocodile easily crush a buffalo’s skull, and strong jerks of the head and a special “deadly rotation” technique instantly tear the prey apart. Crocodiles do not know how to chew, therefore, having killed the victim, they twist out pieces of suitable flesh with their powerful jaws and swallow them whole. Crocodiles eat quite a lot: one lunch can account for up to 23% of the mass of the predator itself. Often crocodiles hide part of the prey, but the supply does not always remain intact, and is often consumed by other predators.

  • The crocodile belongs to the crocodile family, the alligator belongs to the alligator family. Moreover, both reptiles belong to the order crocodiles.
  • The main difference between a crocodile and an alligator is the structure of the jaw and the arrangement of the teeth. When the crocodile's mouth is closed, one or a pair of teeth on the lower jaw always stick out, while the alligator's upper jaw is completely covered by a predatory grin.

  • Also, the difference between a crocodile and an alligator lies in the structure of the muzzle. The crocodile's muzzle is pointed and shaped English letter V, the alligator's muzzle is blunt and more like the letter U.

  • Crocodiles have salt glands in the tongue and lacrimal glands in the eyes to remove excess salts from the body, so they can live in the sea. Alligators do not have such glands, so they mainly live in fresh water bodies.
  • If you compare the size of a crocodile and an alligator, it is difficult to say which reptile is larger. Average length an alligator does not exceed the average length of a crocodile. But if we compare the largest individuals, the American (Mississippi) alligator has a maximum body length of no more than 4.5 meters (according to unofficial data, the only maximum recorded length of one individual was 5.8 meters). And the world's largest saltwater crocodile, with an average body length of 5.2 meters, can grow up to 7 meters in length.
  • The average weight of a Mississippi alligator (it is larger than a Chinese one) is 200 kg, with the maximum recorded weight reaching 626 kg. The average weight of a crocodile depends on the species. Yet some species of crocodiles weigh much more than alligators. For example, the weight of a sharp-snouted crocodile reaches 1 ton, and the world's largest saltwater crocodile weighs about 2 tons.

What is the difference between a crocodile and a gharial?

  • Both the crocodile and the gharial belong to the order Crocodiles. But the crocodile is part of the crocodile family, and the gharial belongs to the gharial family.
  • The crocodile has salt glands located on the tongue and special lacrimal glands in the eye area: through them, excess salts are removed from the crocodile's body. This factor allows the crocodile to live in salty sea water. The gharial does not possess such glands, therefore it is a resident of absolutely fresh water bodies.
  • It is easy to distinguish a crocodile from a gharial by the shape of its jaws: the gharial has rather narrow jaws, which is justified by hunting only fish. The crocodile has wider jaws.

  • The gharial has more teeth than the crocodile, but they are much smaller and thinner: the gharial needs such sharp and thin teeth to tenaciously hold caught fish in its mouth. Depending on the species, a crocodile has 66 or 68 teeth, but the gharial can boast of having hundreds of sharp teeth.

  • Another difference between a crocodile and a gharial: of the entire family of crocodiles, only the gharial conducts maximum time in the water, leaving the reservoir only to lay eggs and to bask a little in the sun. The crocodile spends about a third of its life in bodies of water, preferring water over land.
  • Crocodiles and gharials differ very slightly in size. Male gharials usually have a body length of 3-4.5 meters, rarely reaching 5.5 meters in length. Crocodiles are not far behind their counterparts - the length of an adult male varies between 2-5.5 meters. And yet, seasoned males of some species of crocodiles often reach 7 meters in length. In terms of weight, crocodiles win this round: the saltwater crocodile can reach a mass of 2000 kg, and the Gangetic gharial has a modest weight of 180-200 kg.

What is the difference between a crocodile and a caiman?

  • Although crocodiles and caimans belong to the order Crocodilia, caimans belong to the alligator family and crocodiles belong to the crocodilian family.
  • The external differences between a crocodile and a caiman are as follows: crocodiles are distinguished by a pointed V-shaped snout, caimans are distinguished by a blunt and wide U-shaped muzzle.
  • Another difference between reptiles is that crocodiles have special salt glands on their tongues. Through them, as well as through the lacrimal glands, crocodiles get rid of excess salts, so they feel equally good in both fresh and salt water. Caimans do not have this feature, therefore, with rare exceptions, they live only in clean fresh water bodies.

Types of crocodiles: names, descriptions, list and photos.

Modern classification divides the order of crocodiles into 3 families, 8 genera and 24 species.

Family of real crocodiles(lat. Crocodylidae). Some of its varieties are of particular interest:

  • Saltwater crocodile (saltwater crocodile)(lat. Crocodylus porosus)- most big crocodile in the world, a mega-predator firmly established at the top of the food chain. Other names for this reptile are submarine crocodile, man-eating crocodile, salty, estuarine and Indo-Pacific crocodile. Length saltwater crocodile can reach 7 meters and weigh up to 2 tons. The species got its name thanks to 2 massive bony ridges running along the snout from the edge of the eyes. In appearance The crocodile's colors are predominantly pale yellow-brown, with dark stripes and spots visible on the body and tail. The salt water lover is a typical inhabitant of rivers flowing into the ocean, and also lives in sea lagoons. Saltwater crocodiles often live in the open sea and are found on the northern Australian coast, in Indonesia, the Philippines, India and off the coast of Japan. Crocodiles' food is any prey that a predator can catch. These can be large land animals: buffalos, leopards, grizzlies, antelopes, pythons, monitor lizards. The crocodile also often preys on medium-sized mammals: wild boars, tapirs, dingoes, kangaroos, and many species of monkeys, including orangutans. Domestic animals can also become prey: goats, etc. Of the birds, mainly waterfowl species, as well as marine and freshwater, and many species fall into the mouth of the combed crocodile. Baby crocodile feeds on aquatic invertebrates, insects and small fish. Older individuals freely eat poisonous cane toads, big fish and crustaceans. Saltwater crocodiles practice cannibalism on occasion, never missing the opportunity to eat small or weak representatives of their species.

  • Blunt crocodile(lat. Osteolaemus tetraspis)- this is the most small crocodile in the world. The body length of an adult is only 1.5 meters. The male weighs about 80 kg, the female crocodiles weighs about 30-35 kg. The color of the reptile's back is black, its belly is yellow, with black spots. Unlike other types of crocodiles, the reptile has skin well armored with hard plates-growths, which compensates for the lack of growth. Blunt-snouted crocodiles live in fresh water bodies West Africa, timid and secretive, lead night look life. They feed on fish and carrion.

  • Nile crocodile(lat. Crocodylus niloticus) - the largest reptile of the family after the saltwater crocodile, lives in Africa. The average body length of males is from 4.5 to 5.5 meters, and the weight of a male crocodile reaches almost 1 ton. The color of the crocodile is gray or light brown, with dark stripes on the back and tail. The reptile is one of 3 species that live in African countries and have no equal in water element. Even on land, conflicts over prey, such as with lions, involve a “tug-of-war,” and the crocodile still emerges victorious. - a typical inhabitant of rivers, lakes and swamps located south of the Sahara Desert, including the Nile River basin. The Nile crocodile feeds on fish: Nile perch, tilapia, black mullet, African pike and numerous representatives of cyprinids. And also mammals: antelopes, waterbucks, gazelles, oryx, warthogs, chimpanzees and gorillas. Often all types of domesticated animals become prey for the crocodile. Particularly large individuals attack buffaloes, and young African elephants. Young Nile crocodiles eat amphibians: the African toad, the changeable reed frog and the goliath frog. The young feed on insects (crickets), crabs and other invertebrates.

  • Siamese crocodile(lat. Crocodylus siamensis) has a body up to 3-4 m long. The color of the crocodile is olive green, sometimes dark green. The weight of a male reaches 350 kg, the weight of females is 150 kg. This species of crocodiles is listed in the Red Book as endangered. Today the population numbers no more than 5 thousand individuals. The species' range extends through the countries of southeast Asia: Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and is also found on the island of Kalimantan. The main food source of Siamese crocodiles is various types, small . In rare cases, the crocodile feeds on rodents and carrion.

  • Sharp-snouted crocodile(lat. Crocodylus acutus)- the most common representative of the family. The species is distinguished by a narrow, characteristically pointed snout. Adult males grow up to 4 m in length, females up to 3 m. The weight of a crocodile is 500-1000 kg. The color of the crocodile is grayish or greenish-brown. Crocodiles live in swampy areas, rivers, and fresh and salt lakes in North and South America. Sharp-snouted crocodiles eat most species of freshwater and sea ​​fish. A significant part of the diet consists of birds: pelicans, flamingos,. With a certain periodicity, crocodiles eat marine and livestock. Young reptiles feed on crabs, as well as insects and their larvae.

  • Australian narrow-snoutedcrocodile (lat. Crocodylus johnstoni) is a freshwater reptile and is small in size: males grow no more than 3 meters in length, females up to 2 meters. The animal has an uncharacteristically narrow muzzle for a crocodile. The color of the reptile is brown with black stripes on the crocodile's back and tail. A population of about 100 thousand individuals inhabits freshwater bodies of northern Australia. The Australian narrow-snouted crocodile feeds primarily on fish. A small part of the diet of adults consists of waterfowl and small mammals.

Alligator family(lat. Alligatoridae), in which the subfamily alligators and the subfamily caimans are distinguished. This family includes the following varieties:

  • Mississippi alligator (American alligator) (lat. Alligator mississippiensis)- a large reptile (reptile), the males of which grow up to 4.5 m in length with a body weight of about 200 kg. Unlike the crocodile, the American alligator can withstand the cold and can hibernate with its body frozen into the ice and leaving only its nostrils on the surface. These alligators live in fresh water bodies North America: dams, swamps, rivers and lakes. The Mississippi (American) alligator, unlike crocodiles, rarely attacks large animals. Adult alligators feed on fish, waterfowl, water snakes and among mammals they eat nutria, muskrats and raccoons. Baby alligators eat worms, as well as insects and their larvae. Some alligators do not have enough melanin pigment and are albino. True, a white crocodile is rarely found in nature.

White crocodile (albino)

  • - a small species of alligator, which is also a rare species. Only 200 individuals live in nature. The color of the alligator is yellow-gray, there are black spots on the lower jaw. The average length of an alligator is 1.5 meters, the maximum reaches 2.2 meters. The weight of the predator is 35-45 kg. Alligators live in China, in the Yangtze River basin. They feed on small birds and mammals, mollusks.

  • Crocodile (spectacled) caiman(lat. Caiman crocodilus) - a relatively small alligator with a body length of up to 1.8-2 m and a weight of up to 60 kg. This type of crocodile is different narrow muzzle and a characteristic bony growth between the eyes, shaped like glasses. Little cayman has yellow bodies with black spots, an adult crocodile has olive green skin. The reptile has the widest range of all alligators. The caiman lives in low-lying, stagnant bodies of fresh and salt water from Mexico and Guatemala to the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. Due to its small size, the caiman feeds on mollusks, small fish, freshwater crabs, as well as small reptiles and mammals. Seasoned individuals occasionally attack large amphibians and, for example, as well as wild boars and even other caimans.

Where do the largest crocodiles in the world live? Since these terrible reptiles are excellent swimmers in the open sea and love to travel, they can be found on the coasts of Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, eastern India, Australia, central regions Vietnam and Japan.

The world's largest crocodile - (Crocodylus porosus). It is also called lumpy, spongy or sea, because external features- its muzzle has two ridges or is covered with tubercles. The length of males is from 6 to 7 meters. Maximum length saltwater crocodile was recorded more than 100 years ago in India. The killed crocodile reached 9.9 meters! The weight of adult individuals is from 400 to 1000 kg. Habitat - southeast Asia, in the Philippines, Solomon Islands.

Saltwater crocodiles feed on fish, mollusks, and crustaceans, but large individuals are not so harmless and attack buffalos, wild pigs, antelopes, and monkeys. They often lie in wait for prey at a watering hole, grab the muzzle with their jaws and knock them down with a blow from their tail. The jaws are clenched with such force that they can crush the skull of a large buffalo. The victim is dragged into the water, where he can no longer actively resist. They attack people very often.

A female saltwater crocodile lays up to 90 eggs. She builds a nest out of leaves and dirt. Rotting foliage creates a moist, warm atmosphere; the temperature in the nest reaches 32 degrees. The sex of future crocodiles depends on temperature. If the temperature is up to 31.6 degrees, then males will be born, if higher - females. This species of crocodiles has great commercial value, so it was mercilessly exterminated.

(Crocodylus niloticus) is the second largest after the saltwater crocodile. It lives along the banks of lakes, rivers, and in freshwater swamps in sub-Saharan Africa. Adult males reach 5 m in length, weighing up to 500 kg, females are 30% smaller in size.

Crocodiles reach sexual maturity at 10 years of age. IN mating season males slap their muzzles on the water, snort, roar, and try to attract the attention of females. The life expectancy of the Nile crocodile is 45 years. And although the crocodile’s main food is fish and small vertebrates, it can hunt any large animal and is also dangerous for humans. A crocodile was caught in Uganda, which kept local residents in fear for 20 years and claimed 83 human lives.

The largest crocodile is considered to be Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius), living in South America. Its length can reach 6 m. It feeds mainly on fish. There have been cases of attacks on humans. In the hot season, when the water level in reservoirs drops, crocodiles dig holes on the banks of rivers. Today this one is very rare species can be found in lakes and rivers of Colombia and Venezuela. The population has been severely exterminated by humans; there are about 1,500 individuals in nature.

Among the most large reptiles also include sharp-snouted American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), 5-6 meters long. Habitat - South America. Eats fish small mammals, can attack livestock. It rarely attacks a person, only if it poses a threat to the crocodile or offspring. Adults adapt well to salt water and swim far out to sea.

Another representative of the largest crocodiles in the world, 4-5 meters long - marsh crocodile (Crocodylus palustris, Indian)- the habitat of Hindustan. It settles in shallow bodies of water with standing water, most often in swamps, rivers and lakes. This animal feels confident on land and can move long distances. It feeds mainly on fish and reptiles, and can attack large ungulates on the shore of a reservoir. It attacks people very rarely. The marsh crocodile itself can become prey for a tiger, a saltwater crocodile


It's not surprising that people are afraid of crocodiles. These predatory reptiles have lived on our Earth for the past 83.5 million years. In addition, crocodiles can be classified as the worst cannibals in the world. Crocodiles living in the Nile are responsible for more deaths than any other predator that attacks people.

Due to the danger that these predators have, as well as their long history, we decided to present to your attention a rating of the largest crocodiles that live on our Earth in at the moment time.

The largest crocodile in the world

African narrow-snouted crocodile


An adult African narrow-snouted crocodile is about 3.3 meters long and weighs about 200 kg. These reptiles have exclusively sharp teeth, as well as a tendency towards aggression towards people, and this is why some African tribes try to avoid rivers. In general, the main diet of these crocodiles consists of fish, snakes and amphibians.

Gharial crocodile


The gharial crocodile grows on average up to 4 meters, and their weight is up to 210 kg. Female crocodiles are usually much smaller than males; But in 2008, in Kalimantan, a female gharial crocodile was killed and eaten and, remarkably, the length of the predator was more than 4 meters.

Swamp crocodile


On average, marsh crocodiles grow up to 3.3 meters and weigh about 225 kg. These predatory reptiles prefer to hunt from ambushes. They hide for a long time muddy water and wait for prey, then, choosing the right moment, attack it and drag it under water. Next, the crocodile can only wait until the victim suffocates in the water. People also know of cases where swamp crocodiles hunted on the ground, near hidden forest paths.

Mississippi alligator


Mississippi alligators, on average, are about 3.4 meters long and weigh 240 kilograms. People have repeatedly managed to see giants whose length reached 5.3 m.

These reptiles have one of the most strong bites in the animal world - its approximate force is 9452 Newtons. But what makes Mississippi alligators vulnerable is their very weak jaw opening muscles.

Gangetic gharial


Ghanaian gharials average 4.5 meters in length, with some specimens reaching 6.25 meters, making them one of the longest crocodiles in the world. But with such a huge length, these reptiles weigh only up to 250 kg. They are also one of the most endangered crocodile species - in wildlife There are about 235 individuals left living in the wild.

Sharp-snouted American crocodile


This is the fifth representative of our list of the largest crocodiles in the world. Sharp-snouted American crocodiles are about 4 meters long and weigh an average of 335 kg. These predatory reptiles can move at speeds of about 10 miles per hour on land and 20 miles per hour in water. This is one of the most dangerous possibilities of crocodiles when attacking a person.

Black caiman


The average length of a black caiman is about 3.9 meters and its weight is 350 kg. Black caimans often hunt dangerous prey such as piranhas and anacondas. There are not too many references in the world to the attacks of these crocodiles on people, but nevertheless they still remain one of the most dangerous.

Orinoco crocodile


The Orino crocodile is an endangered reptile species that can only be found in Colombia and Venezuela. On average, adult individuals grow up to 4.1 meters in length and weigh 380 kg, but there are individuals that weigh more and are longer. In the 20th century, they were actively hunted.

Nile crocodile


The Nile crocodile is the second largest species of crocodile in the world. Their length reaches about 4.2 meters, and their average weight– 410 kg. Nile crocodiles are aggressive and opportunistic predators. Every year, about 275-745 attacks on people are recorded annually, and 63% of which were fatal.

1. What does the product code mean?

- The first letter and the first three numbers are the brand name and model number. The second 3 digits are the color number.

2. Are ALANDA products made of genuine leather or is there artificial leather?

- All products are made from high-quality leather of exotic animal species (crocodile, python, ostrich, lizard, seal, sand snake). There is no leatherette on any product. Moreover, calfskin or pigskin is used for the interior decoration of products.

3. How to become your wholesale customer?

- allows you to receive up-to-date information on prices, order the necessary goods (leather women's bags, men's briefcases) wholesale online, subscribe to the newsletter of price lists and news. Access to our wholesale trade You will receive after confirmation of registration.

4 . How many crocodile skins are required to make a jacket?

-On women's jacket As a rule, from 3 to 6 clothing skins with a width of about 50 cm are required. For a men's jacket from 4 large clothing skins to 8.

5. How is crocodile skin measured?

-Crocodile and alligator skins are measured crosswise at the widest point, not including the bones. See photo. The cost is determined by multiplying the cost cm in dollars by the measured width of the skin. How larger size skins, so longer length strips of one cm in width of the abdomen, the more years the crocodile was fed, respectively, and the greater the cost of one cm.

6. What is the difference between the full width of the skin and shire another for which they take money?

7. How much does crocodile skin cost?

-You need to understand that crocodiles are not found in Russia and, in any case, the skins are imported and bought for dollars. Taking into account the constant changes in the dollar exchange rate, we provide approximate prices in US dollars, although sales are carried out in rubles. So: clothing leather costs about 1500 (1000-3000) US dollars for a whole skin. Haberdashery leather costs from $300 for a whole hide. Prices are indicative and depend on many different parameters: dressing, color, grade, factory, size. The price of each specific skin is determined by the cost per cm of the width of the abdomen.

8. Is it possible to buy pieces of crocodile skins in our store?

-As a rule, we do not have small pieces of crocodile and we only sell whole skins.

9. What is the difference between the design of a crocodile and an alligator?

-The difference between an alligator pattern and different types the crocodile is not particularly significant, but we will be happy to show and tell you when you visit our office.

10. How long does it take to sew a jacket?

-The usual tailoring time is 1 month. But if the client does not have enough time for fittings, then the process can be drawn out. It also sometimes happens that in Moscow it is not always possible to immediately find suitable accessories and you have to wait about 2 weeks for delivery.

11. How long does it take to sew shoes?

-The technological process of sewing shoes must include at least a week while the shoes dry on the last. Otherwise, the shoes will not keep their shape. Therefore, the sewing time for shoes should not be less than 2 weeks.

12. How to open the combination lock on an Alanda briefcase?

A. We turn the briefcase over and look at the lock from the bottom of the briefcase.


b. Rotate the digital wheel until the slot is visible from below. Repeat with each wheel so that the slots are in the same position as in the photo. At the same time, on the front surface of the lock the numbers should be completely visible, and the slots All are in the same position (in the center, slightly to the left or slightly to the right). It is impossible to allow a situation in which the numbers are not completely visible or two adjacent ones are visible at once. In our case, all 3 slots are shifted slightly to the left of center.


V. In our case, the shown position of the slots corresponds to the combination of numbers 222. Let's try to open it.

d. If it doesn’t open, then move all the wheels one number to the left (ONE WAY!). We get 111. We try to open it.

d. If it doesn’t open, then move all the wheels one number to the left (ONE WAY!). We get 000. We try to open it. HOORAY! It's opened!


 e. To change the code: with the old code dialed, press the lock opening button and set the new desired code.

P.S. Instructions for women) Most often, only one outer wheel is knocked off by 1 division. Accordingly, if the lock does not open, you can start by putting in the old code and, in turn, rotating each wheel one division IN ONE WAY! in a circle, trying to open it each time. Before moving to another wheel, set the old code.



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