Saltwater Crocodile

Crocodylus porosus

Easy (Polygynous)

The **Saltwater Crocodile** (*Crocodylus porosus*) is a large Asian-Oceanian crocodilian featured in the Standard Edition of *Planet Zoo*.

## Zoopedia Description

### General

**Population in the Wild:** 200,000-300,000

The saltwater crocodile (or Crocodylus porosus) is an extremely large species of reptile native to the coastal areas of South-east Asia, North Australia and East India. It is an effective and dangerous apex predator, with the males capable of growing between 3.5 to 7m long, and weighing between 200 and 1500kg. Females are significantly smaller, averaging 2.7 to 3.4m and 120-200kg. Both sexes have a broader snout and body compared to other crocodile species, and are tan to greenish grey in colour; there is variation in colour among different populations.

The species is not endangered, partially due to its ability to swim long distances around the coast when searching for territory. However, its natural range has decreased and is no longer found in much of South-east Asia and China, where it was once widespread.

### Social

Saltwater crocodiles are solitary, territorial and extremely aggressive. Males will tolerate females living on their territory, and females will look after their hatchlings for the first 8 months of their life, but otherwise they spend their lives alone.

### Reproduction

During the breeding season, a male saltwater crocodile will approach a female on his territory - if she lets him get near, the two will court by rubbing their heads together before mating underwater. The pregnant female will carry her eggs with her for 1 to 2 months before building a nest on the edge of a tidal river or lagoon, laying the clutch inside. She will guard them fiercely for 80 to 98 days, at which point the young crocodiles will hatch and be cared for for the first 8 months of their lives. It's at this point they become large enough to become independent, fending for themselves now they are no longer vulnerable. At the age of 2 and a half, they will start showing territorial behaviour, with females reaching sexual maturity at 12 to 14 years old, and males at 16. Both sexes grow slowly throughout their whole lives.

## Animal Care

 FEEDING STATIONS
 FOOD ENRICHMENT
Frozen Blood Pumpkin · Restraint Feeder · Underwater Box Feeder · Block of Frozen Fish
Prey-Scented Sack · Large Ball · Sprinkler · Rubbing Pad · Mud Bath · Water Jet · Water Jet Rock · Blood Scent Marker · Large Snow Ball · Rubbing Pad Bark

## Trivia

### Zoopedia Fun Facts

* The saltwater crocodile is statistically the joint most dangerous crocodile to humans, alongside the Nile crocodile. Saltwater crocodiles have the strongest recorded bite force of any animal.
* Saltwater crocodiles exhibit the greatest sexual dismorphism of any crocodilian; males are 4 to 5 times larger than the females.
* Saltwater crocodiles do not require fresh drinking water. Like other crocodiles, they have salt glands on their heads that can secrete excess salt, allowing them to drink salty water.
* Saltwater crocodiles have been seen to knock primates out of trees into water with their tails to make catching their prey easier.
* Unlike other crocodiles, saltwater crocodiles are immune to cane toad toxins, allowing them to eat cane toads to sustain themselves if necessary.

### Other Trivia

* The **Saltwater Crocodile** was the first base game animal to be able to "deep dive". An ability that got added in the 1.4 Update.
* The **Saltwater Crocodile** is the only base game habitat animal from Oceania.

## Gallery

### Image Gallery

Original Zoopedia ProfileColor Variations