Saltwater Crocodile:
The estimated population of saltwater crocodiles, one of the largest reptiles in the world, has increased in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR) from last year, according to a population survey by the State’s Forest Department.
- Saltwater Crocodile is the largest and heaviest of all living reptiles in the world.
- Scientific Name: Crocodylus porosus
- It is also known as the estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific crocodile, marine crocodile, sea crocodile, or informally as saltie.
- It is an opportunistic hypercarnivorous apex predator.
- It is native to saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands from India’s east coast across Southeast Asia and the Sundaic region to northern Australia and Micronesia.
- The average male is 5 m in length and weighs around 500 kg, while females are significantly smaller, with the average female saltwater crocodile measuring a little under 3 m in length and weighing less than 100 kg.
- Their coloration varies, typically featuring a dark, greenish-brown hue with lighter underbellies, which helps them blend into their aquatic surroundings.
- They have thick, armored skin made of tough scales that protect them from potential threats.
- They are solitary creatures, especially when it comes to adult males.
- They are highly territorial, with large male saltwater crocodiles often controlling extensive stretches of rivers, estuaries, or coastlines.
- Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Least Concern.
