Re: How large can Crocodiles become?

Date: Wed Jan 27 12:43:48 1999
Posted By: J.M. Wingert , RM(ASM), Staff, Comparative Pathology Department, Baylor College of Medicine
Area of science: Zoology
ID: 917418348.Zo

Message:

Hello Joe,

Crocodilians suffer from a prevalence of 'big fish' stories - that is, over-exaggeration! However, there is no doubt that some species of crocodiles can attain extremely large adult sizes. The question of which species holds the record for being the largest, then, is a common one.

The largest species of crocodile (or any reptile) in the world is Crocodylusporosus, the Australian saltwater crocodile. But just how large does this species actually get? You will read maximum lengths in books which can differ by over 10 feet (3 metres)!

HATCHLING SALTWATER CROCODILE

Hatchling saltwater crocodiles are around 25 to 30cm (1 foot) in length. They can easily sit on the lens of a camera,weighing only 70 grams. However, they grow rapidly, exceeding 1 m (3.3 feet) after two years. Growth begins to slow down after this, but probably continues indefinitely - there is debate over this. Males usually grow faster than females, and attain larger maximum sizes (unlike alligators, in which the females tend to grow faster at first, but are eventually overtaken by the males).

The largest saltwater crocodile in captivity is "Yai", who is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as 19 feet and 8 inches (6.0 m) from nose to tail. Yai recently celebrated his 26th birthday, yet at 1,220 kg he is rather large for his age!

Hope this answers your question.

June Wingert
Baylor College of Medicine
Department of Comparative Pathology
Houston, Texas  77030

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