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A pale-coloured 2 metre specimen in
freshwater riverine habitat at
Kinabatangan River, Sabah, Borneo.

A darker 1.5 metre specimen in mangrove
habitat at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore.

The snout is slender and there are pronounced ridges in front of and
behind the eyes.
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore |
This is the largest
crocodilian, inhabiting river estuaries and coastal regions including
mangroves and remote beaches.
The species was decimated
by hunting for the leather trade, and is now so uncommon in most of Asia
that it is bred in crocodile farms for its hide. Though reaching up to 9
metres in length, such huge sizes are rarely seen except in parts of
Australia where it receives protection from exploitation.
It feeds on various
vertebrates including fish, waterbirds and various mammals, and will also
eat carrion. The eggs are laid in a nest made of vegetation, which is
protected by the female until the eggs hatch.
The species ranges from
India and throughout Southeast Asia to New Guinea, Australia and the
Pacific.
Family : CROCODYLIDAE
Species : Crocodylus porosus
Size (total length) : Up to 9 metres
References : H1, H2 |