In a strange contortion their swollen cloacas make contact and the male organ enters the female. Female lays a clutch of as many as 40 eggs, of which only a few survive to become adults. Behavior Adults maintain dens near nest sites, usually burrows dug 3-9 m into creek banks, with the entrance at or below the waterline. The majority of females build mound nests of soil or sand, but some individuals excavate hole nests. The size of nest mounds increase as the females increase in size.
Crocodiles move inland during winter.
They become torpid if confined to water colder than 18 degrees Celsius. Habitat Their habitat is tropical wetlands. The American crocodile is found in mangrove-lined saltwater estuaries in extreme southern tropical Florida and nests along the banks of small streams. The American crocodile spends a considerable amount of time in saltwater estuaries. Adult crocodiles can survive hypersaline conditions, but juveniles can not tolerate this condition.