We have only one species of crocodile in America, Crocodylus acutus or the American crocodile. American crocodiles lay their eggs in underground burrows that can extend from 10 to 30 feet into a creekbed. Eggs incubate for about 85 days, and hatch in late July or early August.
Crocodiles are excellent mothers.
A croc mom remains close by her nest so that she can hear her babies call out when they begin to hatch. She will dig them out, and sometimes she will even help them hatch or carry them into the water with her jaws. Her jaws are powerful enough to shatter the strongest bones, but she always picks up her babies gently and carefully. Crocodile moms don't defend their young after hatching for as long as alligator mothers do. Baby crocodiles disperse quickly and try to find their own territories within a few weeks of birth.