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West African slender-snouted crocodile facts for kids

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West African slender-snouted crocodile
Crocodylus cataphractus faux-gavial d'Afrique2.JPG
West African slender-snouted crocodile
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Genus:
Mecistops
Species:
cataphractus
Synonyms
  • Crocodylus cataphractus Cuvier, 1825
  • Mecistops bennettii Gray, 1844

The West African slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus) is a critically endangered type of African crocodile. It is one of five species of crocodile in Africa.

Distribution

The West African slender-snouted crocodile lives in West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, southern Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, southern Mali, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo) and extends into Cameroon in Central Africa.

Status

The West African slender-snouted crocodile is classified as critically endangered. It no longer exists in many countries, while its numbers have decreased in others. In its native range, it is very rare. It is on the verge of disappearing. Captive breeding may be important for conservation of this species.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Slender-snouted Crocodile para niños

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