Crocodile Facts for Kids

21 Crocodile Facts For Kids

1. Crocodile is the common name for a group of large semiaquatic reptiles in the Crocodylidae family.
2. Paleontologists have discovered fossil evidence showing crocodiles first appeared around 55 million years ago.
3. Crocodile species can be found in Africa, Asia, Australia, North America, and South America.
4. The preferred habitat for a crocodile is a lake, river, or wetland in subtropical or tropical climate.
5. Crocodiles can live in both freshwater and saltwater, but their preference variers by location and species.
6. Crocodiles are carnivorous and feed exclusively on meat.
7. Crocodiles are ambush predators and catch their prey by simply waiting for it to pass by them.
8. Crocodiles prey on a wide range of animals, varying by their age, size, and species.
9. Crocodile prey ranges from crustaceans and fish all the way up to large mammals like deer or buffalo.
10. There are currently 18 living species of crocodiles.
11. The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest crocodile species with adult males reaching up to 2,200 pounds.
12. The dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) is the smallest crocodile species with adult males reaching up to 180 pounds.
13. The freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni) is the fastest crocodile with a recorded land speed of 11 miles per hour.
14. The Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) is the most endangered crocodile species with most living members belonging to commercial crocodile farms.
15. The average lifespan of a crocodile is between 30 and 70 years and varies by size and species.
16. Crocodiles have 80 teeth and can replace each tooth up to 50 times through their lifetime.
17. Crocodiles have powerful jaws and the saltwater crocodile is believed to have the strongest bit force ever recorded.
18. Crocodiles have excellent night vision, which is partial why they hunt mostly during the nighttime.
19. Crocodiles aren’t social, but they do congregate around each other and tolerate one another.
20. Hundreds of people are killed every year by crocodiles, with most fatal attacks being caused by the saltwater crocodile and the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus).
21. The most infamous crocodile was Gustave, a Nile crocodile from Burundi, Africa who was believed to kill around 300 people.

Crocodile Pictures

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the below images will be helpful for your research on crocodiles. Below are three pictures of various crocodile species. These pictures should help you better understand the different types of crocodiles found around the world.

A picture of the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus).

A picture of the Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).

A picture of the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus)..