Saltwater crocodile Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Saltwater crocodile

Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Order:	Crocodylia
Family:	Crocodylidae
Genus:	Crocodylus
Binomial name
*Crocodylus porosus*

The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the biggest living reptile on Earth. These amazing animals can live in both salt water and fresh water, as well as on land. They are found in rivers, swamps, and even the open sea.

Saltwater crocodiles are often called Salties. You can find them in Northern Australia, New Guinea, and parts of Southeast Asia. They love living near the coast, in places like rivers, swamps, and beaches.

What do saltwater crocodiles look like?
Saltwater crocodile reproduction
How saltwater crocodiles behave
What do saltwater crocodiles eat?
Interesting facts about saltwater crocodiles
Images for kids
See also

What do saltwater crocodiles look like?

Saltwater crocodiles are very large reptiles. Males are bigger than females. They can grow to about 16 ft (4.9 m) long. Some rare males can even reach 23 ft (7 m)! These huge animals can weigh up to 3,000 lb (1,400 kg).

They have a very strong tail that helps them swim fast. Their snout is wide, and they have large scales. These scales form two rows down their neck and back.

Years ago, many crocodiles were hunted for their skin. This made them very rare. Now, saltwater crocodiles are a protected species in Australia. This means hunting them is against the law. If a crocodile is a danger to people, it is usually moved to a safer place. Today, there are farms that raise crocodiles. This helps provide leather, meat, and even medicines without harming wild populations.

Saltwater crocodile reproduction

Saltwater crocodiles have their babies during the wet season. In Australia, this is from November to March. Before they mate in the water, the male and female rub their heads and bodies together.

The female crocodile builds a nest using plants. She breaks off plants with her teeth and pushes them together with her back legs. A female can lay up to 60 eggs at one time! These eggs are large and have hard shells. They take about three months to hatch.

The temperature inside the nest decides if the baby crocodiles will be male or female. If the nest is cooler than 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), the babies will be female. If it's between 89.6 and 91.4 degrees Fahrenheit (32 and 33 degrees Celsius), the babies will be male.

When the baby crocodiles hatch, their mother carries them gently in her mouth to the water. Not many baby crocodiles survive to become adults in the wild.

How saltwater crocodiles behave

Warning sign in Queensland

Saltwater crocodiles can be dangerous. They are known to be very aggressive towards both humans and other animals. They can move very quickly, both in the water and on land.

It is rare for a crocodile to attack a person. However, you will often see "No Swimming" signs in areas where crocodiles live. This is to keep people safe.

Crocodiles can stay very still for a long time, sometimes up to an hour. They can also leap as high as 7 ft (2 m) out of the water! In 1987, a crocodile even knocked a Toyota vehicle off the road with its tail!

These crocodiles can live far from the sea. Scientists have found them up to 145 miles inland in fresh water.

What do saltwater crocodiles eat?

Saltwater crocodiles can go a long time without eating. When they do eat, they hunt different animals. They catch fish, crustaceans, birds, or other animals that come to the water to drink. The size of the prey they catch depends on how big the crocodile is.

Interesting facts about saltwater crocodiles

Adult saltwater crocodiles have about 68 teeth.
A crocodile’s jaws are incredibly strong! They can bite with 5,000 pounds (2.5 tons) of pressure per square inch. This is the strongest bite force of any animal.
If a tooth falls out or breaks, a new one will grow in its place.
Crocodiles cannot sweat. To cool off, they sit near a riverbank with their mouths open.
Crocodiles drag their prey underwater. But they cannot swallow underwater, so they eat above the water.
When salties sleep, they can shut down one half of their brain. The other half stays awake to watch for any danger.
The saltwater crocodile has special glands under its tongue. These glands help it get rid of extra salt, allowing it to live in salt water.
Saltwater crocodiles communicate using chirping and growling sounds.
Crocs can hold their breath underwater for more than an hour.
Crocodiles sometimes swallow small stones. These stones help them digest their food by grinding it up in their stomachs.
Crocodiles have the most acidic stomach of any animal with a backbone. This helps them digest tough parts of their prey, like bones, hoofs, or shells.

Images for kids

Sweetheart, a saltwater crocodile from Finnis River in northern Australia
Saltwater crocodile skull from The Museum of Zoology, Saint Petersburg
Head of a saltwater crocodile
A saltwater crocodile off Maconacon, Isabela (province)
Saltwater crocodile tracks in East Timor
Saltwater crocodile jumping up at Adelaide River
On a beach in Darwin, Australia
Saltwater crocodile sunning itself
An adult saltwater crocodile swimming through a swamp
Saltwater crocodile with a GPS-based satellite transmitter for tracking
Feeding young adult in captivity, Western Australia
Saltwater crocodile tears apart a pig carcass
Saltwater crocodiles can leap out of the water to catch food
A baby saltwater crocodile
A young crocodile
A subadult saltwater crocodile at Gembira Loka Zoo
Saltwater crocodile
Large saltwater crocodile in park
No Swimming sign used by Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory