American Crocodile

The American crocodile is found in coastal and brackish wetlands across parts of Florida, Central America, the Caribbean and the northern coasts of South America, generally more tolerant of saltwater habitats such as mangrove swamps, lagoons and estuaries than most other crocodile species. It has a narrower, more tapered snout than many of its relatives and a greyish-green coloration, and it can grow to substantial size, with large males occasionally exceeding four metres in length. An opportunistic predator, it feeds on fish, birds, turtles and mammals, ambushing prey from the water with a powerful bite. Once heavily hunted for its valuable hide across much of its range, driving significant population declines through the twentieth century, the American crocodile has recovered in several protected areas, including southern Florida, where conservation efforts have allowed numbers to rebound substantially. The species remains classified as vulnerable overall, with ongoing threats from habitat loss and illegal hunting in parts of Central and South America.