# Saltwater Crocodile (*Crocodylus porosus*)

The Saltwater Crocodile is the largest living reptile! They can be found in both saltwater and freshwater environments.

- **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 5/5 · Extreme
- **Habitat:** Coastal areas, rivers, and swamps
- **Also known as:** Estuarine Crocodile

![Saltwater Crocodile](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426641/objects/5643.jpg)

## Appearance

The Saltwater Crocodile is the largest living reptile, known for its massive, powerful body, broad snout, and rough, scaly skin. Adults range from golden tan to gray or almost black, with darker mottling, and big ones are often coated in mud and algae, which hides their color.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Reptilia
- **Order:** Crocodylia
- **Family:** Crocodylidae
- **Genus:** Crocodylus

## Saltwater crocodile, up close

The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest living reptile and the most widespread crocodilian, found from India and Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia to northern Australia and the Solomon Islands. Despite its name, it lives in tidal rivers, swamps and freshwater lagoons as well as along coasts, and it can ride ocean currents from one river to the next. Hunted until it was rarely seen in northern Australia, it has recovered strongly since it was protected in the 1970s.

Also called: Estuarine crocodile, Saltie, Sea-going crocodile.

The largest living reptile, with the strongest bite ever measured, salt glands on its tongue and sea trips of more than 400 km. Spin it, tap it, then test yourself.

### Special abilities

- **Lurk and Snap** (16,414 N strongest bite ever measured): A saltie waits at the water’s edge with only its eyes and nostrils showing, then lunges or snaps sideways at animals that come to drink. [7][1][5]
  - Young crocodiles sit and wait in shallow water. Bigger ones approach slowly underwater, keeping almost nothing above the surface.
  - It mostly hunts at night but will take a chance during the day too.
  - One saltwater crocodile bit with 16,414 N, the highest bite force measured in any animal. Scientists estimate that the very biggest salties could bite even harder.
  - Highest bite forces measured: Saltwater crocodile 16,414 N; American alligator 9,452 N; Spotted hyena 4,500 N
- **Salty Tongue** (Tongue where its salt glands are): Glands in the tongue push out extra salt, so a saltie can spend time at sea without its body getting too salty. [8][9][6]
  - The glands ooze a concentrated salty liquid. Under the microscope they look like the salt glands of other reptiles.
  - They were only discovered in 1981. Before that, scientists were puzzled that sea-going crocodiles seemed to have none.
  - American alligators have no salt glands, which is why they can stand salt water only for short spells.
- **Current Rider** (400+ km swum home in 20 days): Salties make long trips by riding surface currents, travelling only when the water flows their way. [11][13][1][6]
  - Tagged crocodiles on long, one-way trips of more than 10 km a day set off only when the current was in their favour.
  - Satellite tracks of crocodiles at sea followed the direction of the surface currents very closely.
  - One male, flown by helicopter to the other side of Cape York (411 km away along the coast), swam more than 400 km back in 20 days.
  - Strays have turned up on remote islands such as Fiji, which helps explain why the species is spread across so many islands.
- **Bone Shield** (Osteoderms bony plates in the skin): Bony plates set into the skin of its back, called osteoderms, give it a tough coat of armour. [1][4][6]
  - The plates are embedded in its thick skin, so the armour is part of the skin itself.
  - The armour still lets it feel: even its body scales carry tiny touch organs.
  - Big salties are often covered in mud and algae, which hides their colour.
- **Ripple Sense** (20–35 Hz ripples felt best): Thousands of tiny dots on its jaws are touch organs that feel ripples on the water. [4][3]
  - These integumentary sensory organs cover the jaws of all crocodilians: a Nile crocodile has about 9,000 and an American alligator about 4,000. True crocodiles, like the saltie, also have them on their body scales.
  - They are more sensitive to touch than human fingertips and respond best to vibrations like those from small ripples.
  - They help a crocodile tell when to bite and feel what it is holding in its jaws.
  - This matters because crocodile eyes are badly out of focus underwater.
- **Mound Builder** (40–70 eggs in a nest): In the wet season a female scrapes plants and mud into a big mound near the water and lays her eggs inside. [7][1][14][6][15]
  - The mound can be up to 2.5 m long and 80 cm high, usually within 10 m of permanent water.
  - She lays about 40–70 eggs, each about 8 cm long. Warmth from the rotting plants and the sun keeps them at about 31–32 °C.
  - The nest temperature decides each baby’s sex: middle temperatures give mostly males, cooler and hotter ones mostly females.
  - Floods are the biggest danger: eggs drown if the mound goes underwater. Mound nests and nest guarding are an ancient habit; scientists think the first crocodilians did the same.
- **Egg Chirps** (≈90 days in the egg before the first chirps): Babies start chirping inside their eggs when they are ready to hatch, and the calls bring their mother to dig them out. [7][16][1][17]
  - Experiments with Nile crocodiles showed that these calls tell both the brothers and sisters and the mother that it is hatching time.
  - The mother opens the mound and may gently roll eggs in her mouth to help the babies out.
  - Then she carries the hatchlings in her mouth to the water, where they stay together in a group under her watch for up to five weeks.
- **Sun and Shade** (163 crocodiles temperature-tracked for 13 years): A crocodile can’t make its own body heat, so it warms up and cools down by choosing where to rest, such as basking on a bank. [18][19]
  - Scientists logged the body temperatures of 163 wild salties over 13 years. Most of the time their bodies matched the water.
  - Bigger crocodiles adjusted their temperature the most: they warmed up more in winter and cooled down more in summer.
  - A basking crocodile on a bank may look asleep. In Queensland it is against the law to stay within 10 m of a crocodile on land.

### Body parts

- **Eyes** (8.8 cycles per degree at its sharpest) [1][2][3]
  - The eyes sit high on top of the head, so a crocodile can watch the bank while the rest of it stays underwater.
  - Its sharpest vision runs along a horizontal stripe across the back of the eye, called a foveal streak.
  - It has five kinds of light-sensing cells, including three kinds of single cones, so it can probably see colours.
  - In air its eyes focus well on distant things, but underwater they are badly out of focus.
- **Snout and nostrils** [1][4]
  - The saltwater crocodile has a broad, heavy snout compared with many other crocodiles.
  - Its nostrils sit on top of the snout tip, so it can breathe with almost all of its body hidden.
  - The very tip of the jaws carries some of the most sensitive touch spots on its whole body.
- **Jaws** (16,414 N highest bite force ever measured) [5][4]
  - Scientists who tested all 23 crocodilian species found that crocodilians have the strongest bites and tooth pressures of any living animals.
  - One saltwater crocodile bit with 16,414 N, the highest bite force measured in any animal and more than 3½ times a spotted hyena’s 4,500 N.
  - The jaws are dotted with tiny touch organs that help it decide when to bite and feel what it is holding.
- **Teeth** (64–68 teeth) [6][1][7]
  - A saltwater crocodile has 64–68 teeth in total.
  - Its tongue and skull bones don’t move much, so it tosses food around in its mouth to line it up for swallowing.
  - Small prey is swallowed whole. With bigger food it shakes its head or rolls in the water to break off a piece it can swallow.
- **Tongue and salt glands** (1981 year the glands were discovered) [8][9]
  - For a long time scientists were puzzled that sea-going crocodiles seemed to have no salt glands.
  - In 1981 Australian researchers found them in the tongue: small glands that ooze out a concentrated salty liquid.
  - American alligators have no salt glands and can stand salt water only for short spells.
- **Heart** [10]
  - Like birds and mammals, a crocodile has a heart with four chambers.
  - Unlike them, it can send blood around the lungs instead of through them, for example during a long dive.
  - It does this with an extra aorta, a small hole linking its two aortas (the foramen of Panizza) and small knobs of tissue in the passage to the lungs that help control the flow.
- **Back armour** [1][4][7][6]
  - Its thick skin has bony plates called osteoderms set into it.
  - Even its body scales carry tiny touch organs, something only true crocodiles and gharials have.
  - Adults range from golden tan to grey or almost black, with darker mottling, and big ones are often coated in mud and algae.
- **Tail** [1][11]
  - A long, muscular tail and a streamlined body make it a powerful swimmer.
  - On long journeys it travels at the surface and only when the current flows its way.
  - When the current turns against it, it waits on the river bottom or climbs out on the bank.
- **Legs and feet** [1][12]
  - It has short legs and clawed, webbed feet.
  - It leaves the water to bask, to nest and sometimes to feed on food it finds on land.
  - Crocodilians can use almost every kind of walking and running step that mammals use, and some kinds of crocodile can even bound.

### Stats

| Stat | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 3–4 m | average adult male; record males over 6 m, females rarely over 3.5 m [7][1] |
| Weight | 200–300 kg | average adult male; the biggest pass 1,000 kg [7][6] |
| Bite force | 16,414 N | highest bite force measured in any animal; About 3½ times a spotted hyena’s bite [5] |
| Teeth | 64–68 | in its upper and lower jaws together [6] |
| Eggs | 40–70 | in one mound nest, each about 8 cm long [7][1] |
| Incubation | ≈90 days | faster in a warmer nest: about 80 days at 32 °C [7][6] |
| Mum’s care | up to 5 weeks | hatchlings stay in a group near their mother [7] |
| Coastal trip | 400+ km | in 20 days, by a male swimming home [13] |
| Grown up at | 12–17 years | females about 12, males about 16–17 [7][6] |
| Northern Australia | 100,000+ | up from a few thousand 50 years ago [20] |

### Photos

- [In the wild on the Daintree River, Queensland, Australia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crocodylus_porosus_-_Daintree_River.jpg) (photo: JJ Harrison, CC BY 3.0)
- [Frederick, a big saltwater crocodile at Wilhelma zoo, Stuttgart](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crocodylus_porosus_-_Wilhelma_02.jpg) (photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0)
- [A female at Wilhelma zoo, Stuttgart](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crocodylus_porosus_-_Wilhelma.jpg) (photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0)
- [A hatchling saltwater crocodile](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hatchling_saltwater_crocodile.jpg) (photo: Richard.Fisher, CC BY 2.0)
- [Salties hatching at a wildlife park display, Sydney](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Display_-_salties_hatching_(5636916312).jpg) (photo: grace_kat, CC BY-SA 2.0)
- [Sunbathing on a riverbank near Karamjal in the Sundarbans](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saltwater_Crocodiles_of_Sundarbans_11.jpg) (photo: Fabian Roudra Baroi, CC BY-SA 4.0)
- [A juvenile in the Rock Islands of Palau, in the western Pacific](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saltwater_crocodile_(Crocodylus_porosus)_juvenile_Rock_Islands.jpg) (photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0)
- [A portrait on a river in Kakadu National Park](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salty_-_Kakadu_National_Park.jpg) (photo: Jurie.vw, CC BY-SA 4.0)
- [An eye up close, Wilhelma zoo, Stuttgart](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crocodylus_porosus_-_Eye_-_Wilhelma_01.jpg) (photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0)
- [A tail at Yellow Water, Kakadu National Park](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tail_of_Saltie_in_Yellow_Water_Billabong.jpg) (photo: Pc-espe, CC BY-SA 3.0)

### Questions

- **How big can a saltwater crocodile get?** An average adult male is 3–4 m long and weighs 200–300 kg. A few males pass 6 m and 1,000 kg: the largest reliably measured wild one was at least 6.15 m, and Lolong in the Philippines measured 6.17 m. Females rarely grow past 3.5 m. [7][6][1][23]
- **How strong is a saltwater crocodile’s bite?** In a study of all crocodilian species, one saltwater crocodile bit with 16,414 N, the highest bite force measured in any animal. That is about 3½ times the bite of a spotted hyena. [5]
- **Can saltwater crocodiles live in fresh water?** Yes. Despite the name, they live in freshwater lagoons, rivers and swamps up to hundreds of kilometres inland, as well as in tidal rivers, along beaches and around offshore islands. [7]
- **How do saltwater crocodiles get rid of salt?** Glands in their tongue push out a concentrated salty liquid. American alligators lack these glands and can stand salt water only for short spells. [8][9]
- **How long can a saltwater crocodile hold its breath?** In a lab study, young salties stayed under for up to about 9 minutes when scared and spent about 37 minutes of every hour underwater in 28 °C water, coming up for 2–3 minutes between dives. Warmer water makes dives shorter. Wild freshwater crocodiles have made dives of more than 40 minutes, but we found no reliable measurement of the longest dive by an adult saltie. [30][31]
- **How many eggs does a saltwater crocodile lay?** Usually about 40–70, around 50 on average, in a mound of plants and mud near the water. They hatch after about 90 days, and the nest temperature decides whether each baby is male or female. [7][1][14]
- **Are saltwater crocodiles endangered?** No. The IUCN Red List lists them as Least Concern. They were heavily hunted in the past, but in northern Australia they have grown from a few thousand to more than 100,000 since protection began in the 1970s. [26][29][20]
- **How do you stay safe in crocodile country?** Be Crocwise: stay more than 5 m back from the water’s edge, obey warning signs, never swim where crocodiles live, never feed them, bin your food scraps and take extra care at night, dusk and dawn. [25][19]

### Saltwater crocodile myths and facts

Crocodiles attract tall tales. Here is what the evidence says.

- "Crocodiles haven’t changed since the time of the dinosaurs." **Myth!** Crocodilians as a group go back more than 85 million years, but they kept changing. DNA shows the true crocodiles, including the saltie, are not “living fossils”: their genus appeared in the Late Miocene (roughly 12–5 million years ago) and spread quickly around the world. [5][21]
- "Saltwater crocodiles live only in salt water." **Myth!** They are most common in tidal rivers, but they also live in freshwater lagoons, rivers and swamps up to hundreds of kilometres inland, as well as on beaches and offshore islands. [7]
- "Crocodiles see perfectly underwater." **Myth!** Tests on six crocodilian species found their eyes focus well in air but are badly out of focus underwater. Touch organs on the jaws help make up for it. [3][4]
- "Saltwater crocodiles can travel along coasts and across the sea." **Fact!** Satellite tags showed they ride surface currents, and one male swam more than 400 km in 20 days. Strays have reached remote islands such as Fiji. [11][13][1]
- "Baby crocodiles call from inside their eggs." **Fact!** Just before hatching they chirp from inside the egg. Experiments with Nile crocodiles showed the calls tell the mother and the other babies it is time to hatch. [16][1]
- "A mother crocodile with babies in her mouth is eating them." **Myth!** She is carrying them. A mother digs her hatchlings out of the nest and gently carries them in her mouth to the water, then guards them for weeks. [7][6]
- "The temperature of the nest decides whether a baby crocodile is a boy or a girl." **Fact!** In saltwater crocodiles, middle incubation temperatures produce mostly males, and cooler or hotter ones produce mostly females. [14][7]
- "Crocodiles swallow stones to help them digest food and dive deeper." **Not proven!** Crocodiles do swallow stones, but why is still debated. In one test, young American alligators given stones made dives nearly twice as long on average. That suggests the stones help with diving time, not depth, and it has not been tested in salties. [22]

### Saltwater crocodile records

Superlatives and record holders, each checked against its source.

- Largest living reptile: Saltwater crocodile, 6+ m (males over 5 m are very rare; the biggest pass 1,000 kg) [1][11][6]
- Strongest bite ever measured: Saltwater crocodile, 16,414 N (the highest bite force measured in any animal) [5]
- Largest crocodile in captivity: Lolong, Philippines, 6.17 m (confirmed by Guinness World Records in 2012) [23]
- Largest reliably measured in the wild: Mary River, Northern Territory (1974), ≥6.15 m (a 100 cm skull hints that even bigger ones have lived) [1]
- Longest homeward trip tracked: Male moved across Cape York, 400+ km (in 20 days, the longest homing trip reported for a crocodilian at the time) [13]
- Widest range of any crocodilian: Saltwater crocodile, India to the Solomon Islands (from Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia to northern Australia) [24][1]

### The life of a saltwater crocodile

From a chirping egg to a giant of the river, over many years.

- **Wet season**: A mound by the water. Courtship starts around October. From December to April the female builds a mound of plants and mud, usually within 10 m of permanent water. [7]
- **Laying**: Around 50 eggs. She lays about 40–70 hard-shelled eggs, each about 8 cm long, and often guards it from a muddy wallow beside it. [7][1]
- **About 90 days**: Warm eggs. Warmth from rotting plants and the sun incubates the eggs. Their temperature decides whether each baby becomes male or female. [7][1][14]
- **Hatching**: Chirps from the nest. Ready-to-hatch babies chirp inside their eggs. Their mother digs them out and carries them in her mouth to the water. [7][1]
- **First weeks**: A crèche. The hatchlings stay together near their mother for up to five weeks, then spread out. They catch insects, crabs, prawns and shrimps. [7]
- **Young years**: Growing up. Small crocodiles eat small prey often. Their stripes slowly fade. Bigger ones eat less often but take larger animals. [1][6]
- **Teenage years**: Moving out. As they grow, young crocodiles are pushed out of the best rivers by big, territorial adults. Some travel along the coast to find a new home. [6]
- **About 12–17 years**: Grown up. Females can breed at about 12 years and 2.3 m long, males at about 16–17 years and 3.3 m. [7][6]

### Be Crocwise: staying safe around saltwater crocodiles

Saltwater crocodiles are large predators and can be found in rivers, beaches and the sea across northern Australia and Asia. These calm, simple habits keep people safe. They follow the Queensland Government’s Be Crocwise advice.

- **5 m+** from the water’s edge. Stay well back from the water’s edge, because crocodiles can reach people and animals standing there. Keep away from muddy slides on banks. [25]
- **Signs** take them seriously. Obey crocodile warning signs. Crocodiles move around a lot, especially after heavy rain and floods, and can travel hundreds of kilometres. [25]
- **No swimming** where crocs live. Never swim where crocodiles live, even if you can’t see one. [25]
- **Never feed** and bin your scraps. Never feed crocodiles. Take fish scraps, bait and leftovers home or put them in a bin. Fed crocodiles hang around boat ramps and campsites, and in Queensland feeding or leaving scraps is an offence. [25][19]
- **10 m** from a croc on land. Don’t go near a crocodile basking on a bank or sandbar. In Queensland it is an offence to stay within 10 m of one. [19]
- **Dusk to dawn** take extra care. Be extra careful at night, dusk and dawn. Adults should watch children near water, and pets should stay on a lead away from the edge. [25]

If you see a crocodile somewhere people swim, fish or camp, move away calmly, tell an adult and report it to the local wildlife authority.

### Saltwater crocodile vs Nile crocodile vs American alligator

Three big crocodilians, three very different homes.

| | Saltwater crocodile | Nile crocodile | American alligator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific name [26][27] | Crocodylus porosus | Crocodylus niloticus | Alligator mississippiensis |
| Where it lives [1][28][9] | India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia, northern Australia and the Solomon Islands | Lakes, rivers and swamps in 26 African countries | Southeastern United States |
| Typical adult male [7][28][9] | 3–4 m, 200–300 kg | 3.5–5 m, 225–750 kg | about 3.4 m |
| Biggest [1][6][28][9] | over 6 m and 1,000 kg | over 6.1 m and 1,000 kg recorded | nearly 454 kg |
| Salt water [8][11][28][9] | Salt glands in the tongue; travels at sea | Mostly fresh water, rarely the sea | No salt glands; salt water only briefly |
| Touch dots (ISOs) [4] | On the jaws and body scales | About 9,000, on the jaws and body scales | About 4,000, on the jaws only |
| Highest bite force measured [5] | 16,414 N | 3,172 N (only two smaller animals tested) | 9,452 N |
| IUCN Red List [26][27] | Least Concern | Least Concern | Least Concern |

Bite forces are the highest values from one study that tested all crocodilian species; bigger animals bite harder.

### Are saltwater crocodiles endangered?

Not worldwide. They were hunted until they were rarely seen in northern Australia, but protection brought them back, one of the great wildlife recoveries.

- **IUCN Red List:** Least Concern (LC). Widespread, and numerous in northern Australia and Papua New Guinea, but depleted in parts of Asia. In northern Australia the population has grown from a few thousand to more than 100,000 in about 50 years. [26][1][6][20]
- IUCN Red List: Least Concern
- **Threat: Hunting for skins (in the past)**: In the Northern Territory, 26 years of heavy commercial hunting left wild saltwater crocodiles rarely seen by 1971. [29]
- **Threat: Conflict with people**: As crocodile numbers grow, they meet people more often, so safety education and management matter. [1][19]
- **Threat: Flooded nests**: Floods are the main cause of egg losses, killing eggs in many nests each year. [6]
- **Threat: Depleted in parts of Asia**: Outside Australia and Papua New Guinea, many populations are much smaller than they once were. [6]
- **Helping: Legal protection** (1971): The Northern Territory protected saltwater crocodiles in 1971, and populations in tidal rivers have since recovered to near their natural limit. [29]
- **Helping: Night-time counts** (since 1975): Scientists have counted crocodiles by spotlight along the same rivers since 1975, which shows how the recovery happened. [29]
- **Helping: Careful egg harvest**: The recovery continued even with a managed harvest of wild eggs. [29]
- **Helping: Be Crocwise education**: Campaigns teach people how to live safely alongside crocodiles, and laws stop people feeding them. [25][19]

### Saltwater crocodile signals

- Chirping from the nest: Babies ready to hatch, calling their mother and each other. [16][1]
- Head-slapping and growling: A male in the breeding season warning off rival males. [1]
- Snout rubbing, bubbling and circling: Courtship between a male and a female. [1]
- Female lying in a muddy wallow by a mound: A mother guarding her nest. Stay well away. [1][7]

### Family

- **Adult male**: Heavy and broad-headed. An average male is 3–4 m long and weighs 200–300 kg, and the biggest pass 1,000 kg. (Mature at about 3.3 m and 16–17 years old) [7][6]
- **Adult female**: Much smaller and slimmer than a male. Females rarely grow past 3.5 m or 150 kg; the largest reliably measured was 4 m. (Can breed from about 2.3 m and 12 years old) [7][1]
- **Hatchling**: Brighter and boldly banded. The bands fade as it grows but never disappear completely. (Eats insects, crabs, prawns and shrimps) [6][7]
- **Mother at the nest**: A female guarding her mound nest, with hatchlings close by. She protects the nest for about 90 days, then helps the babies out. (Guards against goannas, feral pigs and other crocodiles) [7][1]

### Saltwater crocodile quiz

1. Where are a saltwater crocodile’s salt glands? **In its tongue.** Glands in the tongue ooze out a concentrated salty liquid. They were discovered in 1981. [8]
2. What is the highest bite force ever measured in an animal? **16,414 N.** One saltwater crocodile bit with 16,414 N. A spotted hyena manages about 4,500 N. [5]
3. How do salties make long trips easier? **They ride surface currents.** Tagged crocodiles travelled only when the current flowed their way and waited when it didn’t. [11]
4. What decides whether a baby saltie is male or female? **The nest temperature.** Middle nest temperatures give mostly males; cooler and hotter ones give mostly females. [14]
5. About how many eggs does a female lay in her mound? **40–70.** She lays about 40–70 eggs, around 50 on average. [7][1]
6. How does a mother get her hatchlings to the water? **She carries them gently in her mouth.** She digs them out of the nest and carries them in her mouth to the water’s edge. [7]
7. What are the tiny dots on a crocodile’s jaws? **Touch organs that feel ripples.** These integumentary sensory organs are more sensitive than human fingertips. [4]
8. How do crocodile eyes work underwater? **They are badly out of focus.** Crocodile eyes focus well in air but are badly out of focus underwater. [3]
9. In crocodile country, how far should you stay from the water’s edge? **At least 5 m.** Be Crocwise: stay more than 5 m back from the water’s edge. [25]
10. How long was Lolong, the largest crocodile in captivity? **6.17 m.** Guinness World Records confirmed Lolong at 6.17 m in 2012. [23]
11. What are osteoderms? **Bony plates in the skin.** Osteoderms are bony plates in the skin that make up the crocodile’s armour. [1]
12. About how many saltwater crocodiles live in northern Australia today? **More than 100,000.** The population has grown from a few thousand to more than 100,000 in about 50 years. [20]

### Sources (checked 2026-10-16)

1. [Australian Museum. Estuarine Crocodile, Crocodylus porosus.](https://australian.museum/learn/animals/reptiles/estuarine-crocodile/)
2. [Nagloo N, Collin SP, Hemmi JM, Hart NS (2016). Spatial resolving power and spectral sensitivity of the saltwater crocodile, Crocodylus porosus, and the freshwater crocodile, Crocodylus johnstoni. Journal of Experimental Biology 219:1394–1404.](https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.135673)
3. [Fleishman LJ, Howland HC, Howland MJ, Rand AS, Davenport ML (1988). Crocodiles don't focus underwater. Journal of Comparative Physiology A 163:441–443.](https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00604898)
4. [Leitch DB, Catania KC (2012). Structure, innervation and response properties of integumentary sensory organs in crocodilians. Journal of Experimental Biology 215:4217–4230.](https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.076836)
5. [Erickson GM, Gignac PM, Steppan SJ, Lappin AK, Vliet KA, Brueggen JD, Inouye BD, Kledzik D, Webb GJW (2012). Insights into the ecology and evolutionary success of crocodilians revealed through bite-force and tooth-pressure experimentation. PLoS ONE 7:e31781.](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0031781)
6. [Britton ARC. Crocodilian Species List: Australian Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). Crocodilians: Natural History & Conservation (crocodilian.com).](https://www.crocodilian.com/cnhc/csp_cpor.htm)
7. [Queensland Government (2024). Estuarine crocodile. qld.gov.au.](https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/animals/living-with/crocodiles/estuarine-crocodile)
8. [Taplin LE, Grigg GC (1981). Salt glands in the tongue of the estuarine crocodile Crocodylus porosus. Science 212:1045–1047.](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.212.4498.1045)
9. [Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. American alligator.](https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/american-alligator)
10. [Axelsson M, Franklin CE, Löfman CO, Nilsson S, Grigg GC (1996). Dynamic anatomical study of cardiac shunting in crocodiles using high-resolution angioscopy. Journal of Experimental Biology 199:359–365.](https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.199.2.359)
11. [Campbell HA, Watts ME, Sullivan S, Read MA, Choukroun S, Irwin SR, Franklin CE (2010). Estuarine crocodiles ride surface currents to facilitate long-distance travel. Journal of Animal Ecology 79:955–964.](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2656.2010.01709.x)
12. [Hutchinson JR, Felkler D, Houston K, Chang YM, Brueggen J, Kledzik D, Vliet KA (2019). Divergent evolution of terrestrial locomotor abilities in extant Crocodylia. Scientific Reports 9:19302.](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-55768-6)
13. [Read MA, Grigg GC, Irwin SR, Shanahan D, Franklin CE (2007). Satellite tracking reveals long distance coastal travel and homing by translocated estuarine crocodiles, Crocodylus porosus. PLoS ONE 2:e949.](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0000949)
14. [Lang JW, Andrews HV (1994). Temperature-dependent sex determination in crocodilians. Journal of Experimental Zoology 270:28–44.](https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.1402700105)
15. [Murray CM, Crother BI, Doody JS (2020). The evolution of crocodilian nesting ecology and behavior. Ecology and Evolution 10.](https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5859)
16. [Vergne AL, Mathevon N (2008). Crocodile egg sounds signal hatching time. Current Biology 18:R513–R514.](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2008.04.011)
17. [Vergne AL, Pritz MB, Mathevon N (2009). Acoustic communication in crocodilians: from behaviour to brain. Biological Reviews 84:391–411.](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.2009.00079.x)
18. [Barham KE, Dwyer RG, Frere CH, Bentley LK, Baker CJ, Campbell HA, Irwin TR, Franklin CE (2024). Cooling down is as important as warming up for a large-bodied tropical reptile. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 291:20241804.](https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.1804)
19. [Queensland Government. Crocodile feeding offences and fines. qld.gov.au.](https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/animals/living-with/crocodiles/becrocwise/crocodile-feeding-offences-and-fines)
20. [Campbell MA, Udyawer V, White C, Baker CJ, Kopf RK, Fukuda Y, Jardine TD, Bunn SE et al. (2025). Quantifying the ecological role of crocodiles: a 50-year review of metabolic requirements and nutrient contributions in northern Australia. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 292.](https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.2260)
21. [Oaks JR (2011). A time-calibrated species tree of Crocodylia reveals a recent radiation of the true crocodiles. Evolution 65:3285–3297.](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.2011.01373.x)
22. [Uriona TJ, Lyon M, Farmer CG (2019). Lithophagy prolongs voluntary dives in American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Integrative Organismal Biology 1:oby008.](https://doi.org/10.1093/iob/oby008)
23. [Dell'Amore C (2012). Giant crocodile breaks size record. National Geographic, 3 July 2012.](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/120702-biggest-crocodile-lolong-guinness-world-records-animals-science)
24. [Lloyd-Jones LR, Brien ML, Feutry P et al. (2023). Implications of past and present genetic connectivity for management of the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). Evolutionary Applications 16.](https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13545)
25. [Queensland Government. Be Crocwise top tips. qld.gov.au.](https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/animals/living-with/crocodiles/becrocwise/be-crocwise-top-tips)
26. [Wikidata. Saltwater crocodile (Q182599): taxon name Crocodylus porosus; IUCN conservation status Least Concern (P141).](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q182599)
27. [Wikidata. Nile crocodile (Q168745) and American alligator (Q193327): IUCN conservation status Least Concern (P141).](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q168745)
28. [Wikipedia. Nile crocodile (introduction).](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nile_crocodile)
29. [Fukuda Y, Webb G, Manolis C, Delaney R, Letnic M, Lindner G, Whitehead P (2011). Recovery of saltwater crocodiles following unregulated hunting in tidal rivers of the Northern Territory, Australia. Journal of Wildlife Management 75:1253–1266.](https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.191)
30. [Rodgers EM, Schwartz JJ, Franklin CE (2015). Diving in a warming world: the thermal sensitivity and plasticity of diving performance in juvenile estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus). Conservation Physiology 3:cov054.](https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/cov054)
31. [Campbell HA, Sullivan S, Read MA, Gordos MA, Franklin CE (2010). Diving through the thermal window: implications for a warming world. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 277:3837–3844.](https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2010.0902)

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 300-617 cm
- **Weight:** 200-1000 kg
- **Lifespan:** 70-100 years
- **Clutch Size:** 40-70
- **Incubation:** 80-90 days

## Diet & Feeding

They are mighty hunters, eating everything from fish and birds to large mammals!

- **Primary Foods:** fish, birds, wild pigs, water buffalo, kangaroos, crabs
- **Foraging Method:** Ambush

## Ecological connections

- **Hunts:** Water Buffalo (*Bubalus bubalis*) — A primary prey for large adult crocodiles.
- **Hunts:** [Wild Boar](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wild-boar) (*Sus scrofa*) — Often ambushed near water sources.
- **Hunts:** [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) — Eats birds that come to the water's edge.
- **Eats:** [Barramundi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barramundi) (*Lates calcarifer*) — A common fish species in their diet.

## Traits

- [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.
- [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
- [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
- [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type.
- [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.

## Collections

- [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles)
- [Reptiles & Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles-and-amphibians)

## Safety

**Danger:** 5/5 · Extreme

Saltwater crocodiles are dangerous. Stay more than 5 m back from the water’s edge, obey warning signs and never swim where crocodiles live. Never feed them. If you see one, move away calmly and tell an adult.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Saltwater Crocodile?

Compare scales, body proportions, legs, tail and shell, if there is one. Many reptiles change their look with age, temperature or breeding condition. Reptile Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Saltwater Crocodile?

300-617 cm

### How much does Saltwater Crocodile weigh?

200-1000 kg

### How long does Saltwater Crocodile live?

70-100 years

### What does Saltwater Crocodile eat?

They are mighty hunters, eating everything from fish and birds to large mammals!

### Where is Saltwater Crocodile usually found?

Coastal areas, rivers, and swamps

### How does Saltwater Crocodile hunt?

Ambush

### How many eggs does Saltwater Crocodile lay?

40-70

## Where to spot

- [Toledo Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/toledo-zoo) — Ohio, US · Zoo
- [ABQ BioPark Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abq-biopark-zoo) — New Mexico, US · Zoo
- [Fort Worth Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-worth-zoo) — Texas, US · Zoo
- [Reptile Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/reptile-gardens) — South Dakota, US · Zoo

[View all places to see Saltwater Crocodile](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/saltwater-crocodile)

## More Reptiles

- [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*)
- [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*)
- [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*)
- [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*)

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Source: [Saltwater Crocodile: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/saltwater-crocodile)