Salt Water Crocodile Crocodylus porosus

1. Salt Water Crocodile Crocodylus porosus By: Riley Mathena

2. Crocodylus is derived from the Greek krokodeilos which means literally "pebble worm," referring to the appearance of a crocodile. • porosus means "full of callosities", derived from porosis (Greek for "callosity") + osus (Latin for "full of"), referring to the bumpy upper surface of the snout in large adults

3. DISTRIBUTION Single individuals have been found thousands of Kilometers away from their usual range, due to their ability to travel long distances by sea - barnacles have been found on the scales of a few stray individuals. This sea-faring ability probably helps to explain their wide distribution.

4. HABITAT As its name implies, this species has a high tolerance for salinity, being found in brackish water around coastal areas and in rivers. However, it is also present in freshwater rivers, billabongs and swamps. Movement between different habitats occurs between the dry and wet season, and as a result of social status - juveniles are raised in freshwater areas, but eventually are forced out of these areas (used for breeding by dominant, territorial adults), into more marginal and saline areas. Subordinate animals unable to establish a territory in a tidal river system are either killed or forced out into the sea where they move around the coast in search of another river system.

5. APPEARANCE • Adult males can reach sizes of up to 20 to 23 feet the largest confirmed individual being 20.7 feet. • Females are smaller, the normal maximum adult size being 8 to 10 feet • This is a large-headed species with a heavy set of jaws. A pair of ridges run from the eye orbits along the centre of the snout, becoming more distinct with age. The upper surface of the top jaw becomes very bumpy in large adult males. Scales on the flanks are more oval in shape than other species, although belly scales are rectangular, even and relatively small. • The eyes, ears, and nostrils are located on the same plane on the top of the head, allowing for it to see, hear, and breathe while almost totally submerged. The eyes have a special second pair of eyelids known as the nictitating membrane. These eyelids are clear and protect the eyes while underwater. The ears, situated behind the eyes, have flaps which also close while underwater. The jaws are heavyset and contain 64-68 teeth. The teeth in the upper jaw are perfectly aligned with those in the lower jaw. • Juveniles are normally pale tan in color with black stripes and spots on the body and tail. • Mature adults are generally dark, with lighter tan or grey areas. The ventral surface (belly) is creamy yellow to white in color, except the tail which tends to be more grey on the underside nearer the tip. Dark bands and stripes are present on the lower flanks.

8. DIET Saltwater crocodiles take a wide variety of prey, although juveniles are restricted to smaller items such as insects, amphibians, crustaceans, small reptiles and fish. The larger the animal grows, the greater the variety of items that it includes in the diet, although relatively small prey still make up the majority of the diet even in large adults. Prey items include crustaceans (e.g. mudcrabs) and vertebrates (e.g. turtles, goannas, snakes, shore and wading birds). Large adults occasionally take much larger prey include buffalo and domestic livestock, wild boar, monkeys etc.

9. BREEDING Breeding territories are established in freshwater areas. Females reach sexual maturity at 10 to 12 years old. Males mature later, around 16 years old. 40 to 60 eggs are usually laid (can range from 25 to 90) in mound nests made from plant matter and mud. These are constructed between the months of November and March during the wet season - this serves to raise the eggs above the ground to help prevent losses due to flooding. Many nests are still flooded every year, however, killing all the un-hatched embryos. Alternately, if the nest is in danger of getting too dry, the female has apparently been observed to splash water onto it from a purpose-dug, adjacent pool. Although the female stays near the nest, some eggs do fall foul of predators (e.g. monitor lizards, feral wild pigs in Australia) and human egg collectors. Juveniles hatch after around 90 days, although this varies with nest temperature. The female digs her young out of the nest when they start their characteristic chirping sounds, assisting them to the water by carrying them in her mouth.

10. Many species of crocodilians are falsely viewed as man-eaters, but fear of this species is not unfounded, with a number of people injured or killed each year, although in most cases these tragedies can be avoided with increased awareness. However, loss of life has led to a degree of fear towards the species, making conservation measures more difficult to implement. Given its relatively wide distribution, control of trade can be very difficult. The commercial value of the hide is very high (the most valuable of any crocodile species), due to the lack of ventral osteoderms which otherwise make tanning difficult, and the size and shape of the belly scales. Unregulated hunting mainly between 1945 and 1970 caused a dramatic decline throughout the range of the species. This has been controlled in some areas, notably Australia, but threats from habitat destruction still exist. Protection in some countries is often ineffective, and while illegal trade is relatively insignificant now for this species, killing due to fear is becoming an increasing problem.