Facts about Everglades Crocodiles

1. 08

   Between 1975 and 1990, intensive protection efforts increased Everglades crocodile populations from fewer than 500 individuals to over 2,000 through legal protections and habitat management.

   Everglades CrocodilesMay 14shareconservationhistorypopulation
2. 07

   Distinctive V-shaped snouts and visible teeth when jaws are closed distinguish Everglades crocodiles from the broader U-shaped snouts of sympatric American alligators.

   Everglades CrocodilesMay 14sharemorphologyidentificationadaptation
3. 06

   Juveniles in the Everglades grow approximately 10 inches annually until reaching sexual maturity around 13 years of age, when growth rates slow substantially.

   Everglades CrocodilesMay 14sharebiologymeasurementdevelopment
4. 05

   American crocodiles in the Everglades can live 70 years or longer, making them among the longest-lived reptiles in North America.

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5. 04

   Crocodile nests in the Everglades face predation from raccoons and feral hogs that destroy up to 90 percent of eggs in unprotected clutches.

   Everglades CrocodilesMay 14sharepredationreproductionconservation
6. 03

   Female Everglades crocodiles typically nest in elevated mounds during May and June, laying 20 to 60 eggs that incubate for approximately 80 days.

   Everglades CrocodilesMay 14sharereproductionbehaviorseasonal
7. 02

   Saltwater tolerance allows Everglades crocodiles to thrive in brackish mangrove habitats where American alligators cannot survive long-term.

   Everglades CrocodilesMay 14sharebiologyhabitatadaptation
8. 01

   Only approximately 2,000 American crocodiles remain in Florida's Everglades, making them one of the rarest reptiles in the United States.

   Everglades CrocodilesMay 13sharebiologymeasurementconservation