American crocodile

Protection

After protectbeing protected with the the United States in 1979, this species is registered with the Annexe I of Quote since 1989 except for the populations of Cuba which were re-registered with the appendix II in 2005.

The current populations are estimated from 10.000 to 20.000 individuals. The animal was driven out much for its skin between 1920 and 1960. Today, it is rather a residual hunting smaller partner with the destruction of the habitats which is at the origin of the reduction of its manpower.

Morphology

It is about one of the greatest species of crocodiles. The males have an intermediate size of 5 meters and could reach 6 or 7 meters.

Biology

Their food consists of marine animals, mainly fish but also of the tortoises and crabs. On the occasion, the American crocodile drives out also birds. It drives out of night.

It is often shown to kill out of the cattle but the proven cases are very rare.

Habitat

This species attends at the same time fresh water (like the rivers but also the lakes and artificial reserves of water) and water brackish (like the estuaries, the coastal lagoons and the marshes of the mangroves). A population of the Dominican Republic lives in Lago Enriquillo, a lake having a very strong salinity.

Etymology

The name of the species, acutus , means pointed in Latin and refers to the shape of the muzzle.

References

External bond

Site in English devoted to the crocodiles.

Zh-yue: 美洲鱷

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