Seeing Chinese Alligator

As a child we all have our trip to the zoo to see all the amazing animals that we can’t see in our backyards. We get the opportunity to go to the reptile cage or building, whatever it may be in your zoo, and get a chance to look at the alligators. Did you know there are only two types of alligators in the world? The ones we usually see at the zoos are the American Alligators, however, there is another one called the Chinese Alligator that is an endangered animal that needs protection. There are around ten thousand Chinese Alligators left in the entire world.If you think you can spot the differences in the two different alligators, I think you may be wrong. There are only two minor differences between the American and Chinese Alligators.

While the American Alligators are very long and have a higher weight, the Chinese Alligator is the smaller of the two, averaging around six feet in length and only around one hundred pounds. The only other difference is that while the American Alligator’s body armor extends the length of its body, it leaves the belly area nice and smooth. The Chinese Alligator’s body armor wraps around the entire body, including the belly area, keeping it safe from those predators that would try to get it from the underside.

The Chinese Alligator is now listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or the IUCN for short. To help increase the population, they are being taken captive into zoos and rescues where they are bred and kept secure until they reach an age appropriate enough to be released back into the wild in China. Hopefully these efforts, along with the efforts of the Chinese people, will keep them from going instinct indefinitely.

Spectacled Caiman Information

Spectacled Caiman conservation status
The estimated wild population exceeds 1 million individuals.
The Spectacled caiman is one of the most common of all crocodilian species, but depletion has taken place in certain areas. The subspecies C. c. apaporiensis is for instance under severe threat in Colombia and serious depletion is reported from El Salvador. The major threat comes from illegal hunting.
The Spectacled caiman has actually been promoted by the depletion of other crocodilians within its range (chiefly the American crocodile, Orinoco crocodile and Black caiman) since this has allowed the caiman to take over new habitat from which it has traditionally been outcompeted. When the more valuable species started to become increasingly scarce in the mid 20th century, Spectacled caiman hunting did however increase.
Despite intense hunting plus collection for the pet trade, the Spectacled caiman populations are in relatively good condition in most parts of the species range. It has taken over habitat from more severely depleted species and is also making use of man-made bodies of water. Well developed sustainable use programs exist in several countries.
Spectacled Caiman range
The Spectacled caiman is native to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, Tobago, Trinidad, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. The species has been introduced to Cuba and the UnitedStates (including Puerto Rico). On Cuba and Puerto Rico, you will find the subspecies C. c. fuscus.
Caiman crocodilus has the widest distribution of any species in the Alligatoridae family.
Spectacled Caiman habitat
The Spectacled caiman is an adaptable species that tolerates fresh, brackish and saltwater. It prefers still waters but is present in virtually all types of lowland wetland and riverine habitats within its range.
If necessary, the Spectacle caiman will excavate a burrow and aestivate until conditions improve.
Spectacled Caiman size and appearance
Males are normally 2-2.5 meters (6.6-8.2 feet) long, while the largest reported specimen approached 3 meters (9.8 feet). The females are smaller and will normally not exceed 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) in length, although occasional females may reach a size of nearly 2 meters (6.6 feet).
The Spectacled Caiman has a bony ridge between its eyes (infra-orbital bridge), hence the name. Another ridge (a triangular one) can be seen on the upper eyelids, which are heavily ossified. The number of teeth varies from 72 to 78.
Adult Caiman crocodilus are dull olive green, while juveniles are yellow and adorned with black spots and bands on body and tail. As the caiman matures, the markings grow less and less noticeable.
The different subspecies vary in size, colour and skull shape. The social status of an individual will also affect its size by affecting its growth rate. Submissive animals grow slower than the dominant ones and are less likely to breed.
Spectacled Caiman feeding and diet
Juvenile Spectacled caimans feed on aquatic invertebrates, such as crustaceans, insects and molluscs. As they grow larger, they gradually learn to overtake bigger and bigger prey, chiefly fish, amphibians, reptiles and water birds. Large adult caimans are capable of taking midsized mammals like wild pigs. Cannibalism also occurs, especially during dry periods when other prey is scarce. Spectacled caimans can also refrain from eating anything during the dry season.
Spectacled Caiman breeding
The female Spectacled caiman attains sexual maturity when she’s 1.2 m (4 feet) long, something which normally happens at an age of 4-7 years. The males matures at a similar age, but not until they’ve reached a size of 1.4 m (4.6 feet).
Towards the end of the dry seaon (April to May), the gonads of the male caiman begins to increase in size but they will not reach their maximal size until the wet season has commenced (May to June). Courtship occurs between May and August.
A mound nest consisting of soil and vegetation is built, usually under cover but sometimes in more open environments or on floating mats of vegetation. Inside the nest, the female will deposit 14-40 (22 is the average) eggs in July or August. Sometimes, several females will share one nest.
Females stay close to their nests in order to ward off introducers but many fail and a large share of the nests is raided by predators before the eggs hatch. The habit of sharing a nest with other mothers may be a way for the female caiman to lower the risk of her eggs getting eaten since there will be more than one parent watching over the nest.
Hatching normally takes place after roughly 90 days of incubation and the hatchlings will stay close to the female for some time and follow here wherever she goes. Sometimes one female takes care of not only her own hatchlings but the hatchlings of others as well.

Broad-Snouted Caiman Information

Broad-Snouted Caiman

The broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostrits) is found in South America, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Normally inhabiting tropical forests, they prefer ponds and slow moving rivers as their habitat. Broad-snouted caiman can be found mostly in freshwater marshes, swamps, and mangroves, they are also be found in man made ponds for the cattle industry.
Their common name is derived from the species most notable physical characteristic, its very broad snout, which is even broader than that of the American alligator. The snout also presents a characteristic ridge which runs down along it. Their dorsal surface is heavily ossified. Adults specimens are show a pale olive green color, with some presenting spots on the jaws.
This species can live for about 50 years, considered a medium-sized crocodile species measuring an average of 1.5 to 2.5 meters (5 to 8,2 ft). Females are smaller than males, the adult specimens have an olive green color, they have an extremely strong bite.
Broad-Snouted Caiman - Diet
Their diet consists mainly of small invertebrates, and it can crush shells to feed on turtles and their favorite food, aquatic snails. As their size increases, so does its prey size, it will then include in the diet birds, fish, and reptiles.
Broad-Snouted Caiman - Reproduction
The female lays an average of 20 to 60 eggs, and builds the nest among the vegetation near the water, after the nest is finished is covered with sand and dry leaves to protect against predators. The eggs are laid in two layers, creating a temperature difference between them, resulting in a more even ratio of males and females. After about 70 days, the hatchlings quickly seek water to protect themselves from their natural predators such as hawks and other animals. Either one or both parents will guard the juveniles for an indeterminate period.
Broad-Snouted Caiman - Conservation status and major threats
Although the hunting of this specie as been prohibited in most countries in their range, this practice still persists in some regions, as their skin is considered very valuable because its very smooth texture. However the main threat to the Broad-Snouted Caiman in nowadays is habitat destruction, due to deforestation an pollution. The latest data shows that healthy populations still exist in most areas of their habitat, the exception being the Bolivian population, which is considered to be severely depleted.

The Black Caiman Is Found In Various Freshwater Habitats

The Black Caiman(Melanosuchus niger) has a distribution range including: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru and Venezuela.

The Black Caiman is found in various freshwater habitats such as slow-moving rivers, streams, lakes, flooded savannahs and wetlands.

Although overlapping with the range of other caiman species in South America, it appears to occupy different habitat niches. The Black Caiman is the largest species in the family 'Alligatoridae'. The Black Caiman can grow to 20 feet long (6 metres), making it the largest member of the Caiman family and the largest predator in the Amazon basin.

The Black Caimans general appearance is similar to the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). As their common name suggests, Black Caimans have a dark colouration.

A Black Caimans lower jaw has grey banding (brown in older animals) and pale yellow or white bands are present across their flanks of the body, although these are more prominent in juveniles. This banding fades only gradually as the animal matures. The Black Caiman has a bony ridge over red eyes and black, scaly skin. A Black Caimans skin colouration helps with camouflage during its nocturnal hunts, but may also help absorb heat.

The Black Caimans eat fish, including piranha fish and catfish and other animals, including birds, turtles and land-dwelling animals like the capybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) and deer when they come to the waters edge to drink. Larger specimens can take tapirs and anacondas. Their teeth are designed to grab but not rip, so they swallow their food whole after drowning it. Juveniles eat crustaceans and insects before moving onto larger, terrestrial prey. Healthy adult black caimans have no predators other than humans and Jaguars and are one of the apex predators (predators that, as adults, are not normally preyed upon in the wild in significant parts of their range by creatures not of their own species) in their habitat. Their main predator is humans, who hunt them for leather or meat.

The female Black Caiman constructs a mound nest (1.5 metre in diameter) during the dry season into which 30 to 65 eggs are laid. Nests can be found in both concealed and open locations. Females remain close to their nests.

Once the eggs are ready to hatch, she will open the nest and assist in the hatching process. Hatching is reported to occur between 42 and 90 days, coinciding with the beginning of the wet season.

As many females often nest within close proximity, the number of hatchlings in one area can be high. This leads to safety in numbers. Black Caimans sometimes eat their young.

The Black Caiman Is An impressive Crocodilian

An impressive crocodilian, the Black Caiman is capable of growing as large as the American Alligator. The similarities are striking between the role the American Alligator and the Black Caiman play in their respective ecosystems. The fate of the two species appears to be as divergent as the physical similarities are in commonality. The American alligator is experiencing an incredible come back from the brink of extinction while the future for the Black caiman is much less certain. Captive farming of these magnificent animals is underway in a limited capacity and should have some positve impact on both the reduction in demand for wild caught specimens as well as provide a safety net of genetics in the event the wild populations are decimated.

The diet of the young Black Caiman is similar to all crocodilians, small vertebrate and insects make up much of the diet for the first year or so of life. Growing rapidly the Black Caiman switches to larger fish species such as the plentiful catfish and piranha species that share it's river ecosystem. As large adults the Black Caiman begin to prey on animals as large as the Capybara, the largest rodent on earth, carrion is also consumed willingly by Caiman of all sizes. The roll the Black Caiman plays as a predator becomes increasingly important as the animal matures.

Obtaining accurate information on the current status of the Black Caiman is difficult for a number of reasons, the flooding of the Amazon (typically late May through July) will disperse many animals including the populations of Black Caiman. When the annual dry season returns the Black Caiman and many other species of animals tend to congregate near the shrinking, and or permanent, water supplies. Counting the Black Caiman during the dry season can yield some relevant data but is by no means totally accurate. Guyana reports very healthy populations within it's borders. While surrounding nations release conflicting data on the status of the Black Caiman.

Fear on the behalf of local natives that the Black Caiman presents a serious risk to economically important fish populations is founded in rumors and false information. As a keystone species the Black Caiman undoubtedly performs many of the very beneficial functions that the American Alligator does in the United States. The loss of the Black Caiman would have far reaching negative implications for fish stocks as well as many other creatures in the ecosystem of South America. It is highly unlikely that species such as the Spectacled Caiman can assume the full roll played by such a large and important member of this complex ecosystem as the Black Caiman.

Local governments in South America could learn much from the financial success of the American Alligator, if the Black Caiman were allowed to repopulate to the extent the American Alligator has the economic benefits would be substantial not only from an ecotourism perspective but from controlled hunting for hides and meat as now occurs in the south east United States.

Cuviers Dwarf Caiman

The Cuviers Dwarf Caiman(Paleosuchus palpebrosus) has a distribution range including: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam and Venezuela. The Cuviers Dwarf Caiman prefers freshwater forested riverines (drainages between and including the Amazon and Orinoco rivers, in addition to those in Paraguay) and flooded forests around larger lakes.

This Caiman also inhabits rivers and small streams in Bolivia (exposed shoreline and around dead wood). Although Cuviers Dwarf Caiman generally prefers clean, faster-flowing stretches of river, it does occur in very nutrient-poor waters in southeastern Brazil and Venezuela. The Cuviers Dwarf Caiman uses burrows as shelter for long periods during the day. The Cuviers Dwarf Caiman covers large distances terrestrially at night. It may be more tolerant of cooler water conditions.

Cuviers Dwarf Caiman Characteristics

The Cuviers Dwarf Caiman is the smallest of the crocodilian family. Males reach a maximum of 1.5 or 1.6 metres in length and females rarely exceed 1.2 metres in length. Cuviers Dwarf Caimans have heavy, hardened armour on both dorsal and ventral surfaces which is used for protection and which makes up for its small size. The armour reduces injury in more fast-flowing riverine habitats, as well as from obstacles and predators during terrestrial forays which are common in the adults.

The Cuviers Dwarf Caiman has one of the most remarkable head shapes of any crocodilian, being short, very smooth and concave (high skull, upturned snout), with a pronounced overlapping of the lower jaw by the upper.

Cuviers Dwarf Caiman Diet

The diet of Cuviers Dwarf Caiman is known to be dependent upon the habitat in which the caiman lives. Juveniles eat mainly invertebrates (crustaceans, terrestrial invertebrates such as coleoptera - beetles), whereas adults include a greater proportion of fish in their diets in addition to a variety of aquatic (e.g. crabs, molluscs, shrimps) and terrestrial invertebrates. The short, backward-curved teeth are particularly suited to taking invertebrates such as crustaceans. Prey also varies depending upon its availability.

Cuviers Dwarf Caiman Reproduction

The Cuviers Dwarf Caiman may be found singly or in pairs for most of the year, although no set breeding season has been discovered. Females are mound-nesters, using available vegetation and mud. The mound is usually built under cover, and in a concealed position. Size of the clutch is reported to range from from 10 to 25 eggs and the incubation period lasts around 90 days. Although it has been noted that adults will open the nest and move the juveniles to the water, information on parental care following hatching is lacking and implies that there may be none.

Juveniles are brown in colour with blank banding. Adults are darker. The Juveniles head is chocolate brown, with an iris colour to match. Their lower jaw is flecked with white bands.

Newly hatched young may not enter the water until the end of their first day. Until then, they are coated with a slowly-drying, protective mucus layer. Although such a covering is present in the hatchlings of all crocodilians, it has been suggested that the drying of the layer may help to reduce the growth of algae on the body of this species.

Orinoco Crocodile

The Orinoco crocodile is South America's largest predator. The males at one time reached lengths of 23 ft (7 m), bit due to overhunting of the larger specimens the average size is now 16.6 ft (5 m). Females are generally smaller, reaching lengths of 10 ft (3.2 m). Males weigh around 950 lbs (380 kg), and females 450 lbs (200 kg).

This crocodile spice is a very odd crocodile in that it has no subspecies and yet comes in three colour types. Each type has been given a name. If the crocodile is negro, then the skin is a uniform dark grey. Mariposo means that the skin is greyish-green with black dorsal patches. The third colour, amarillo, is the most common with a light, tan body with dark areas scattered throughout. In captivity it has been noted that the skin can change colours over time.

Like all crocodilians, the majority of the Orinoco crocodile's diet consists of fish, but as an opportunistic apex predator virtually any animal living within its range could be considered a potential meal for a large adult (including capybara, domestic animals, and even occasionally other large predators if food is scarce.) There have been reports of attacks on humans, but this is highly unlikely given the extremely low population level of the species and its relative isolation from large human settlements

The Orinoco crocodile mates during the drier period of the year and usually 14 weeks after mating, the female crocodile will dig a nest. It is a hole-nester and usually makes the nest on a sand bank. The eggs incubate for around 3 months. During the night they hatch and call to their mother who digs them out of the nest and carries them to the water. The young are defended by their mother for a year. Young Orinoco crocodiles are often at risk from American Black Vultures, tegu lizards, anacondas, caimans, and other carnivores.

They can be found in the middle and lower parts of the Orinoco River in the Llanas Savannah of Venezuela and Colombia (South America). They prefer freshwater, but do have a tolerance for high salinity, as evidenced by the sighting of Orinoco crocodiles on the island of Trinidad, over 150 miles north of Venezuela, that had been washed out into the ocean by a flood and had survived. Orinoco crocodiles had at one time a much larger range, being found in tropical evergreen forests and in streams in the Andes.

Freshwater Crocodile

The Freshwater Crocodile is the more timid relation of the much larger and aggressive Estuarine (Saltwater) Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). Unlike the Estuarine Crocodile, there have been no reports of serious unprovoked attacks by Freshwater Crocodiles.

The Freshwater Crocodile is native to Australia, inhabiting rivers, creeks, permanent streams and billabongs from the Kimberley to Cape York Peninsula. Although it can tolerate the salty water of estuaries, it is usually outcompeted by the Estuarine Crocodile.

The Freshwater Crocodile is an ambush predator, lying in wait for prey to come within range, when, in a flash, it catches its prey. The long, narrow snout and sharp teeth are adaptations for catching aquatic prey, including fish, frogs, lizards and turtles but it also eats crayfish, insects and spiders. Digestion is assisted by gastroliths, stones swallowed by the animal, which aid in grinding up food. Although it has long been thought that these stones might also play a role in controlling flotation of the animal, recent work suggests that this role might be minimal.

Freshwater Crocodiles can live for 50 or more years, most of their growth occurring in the first 20 years. Males are up to 50kg and 3m long (but typically less than 2.5m); females up to about 2m. Their growth rate (and therefore, size) depends very much on food availability. Males become sexually mature at about 16 years; females at about 12 years.

Like many other animals of the Top End, Freshwater Crocodiles move late in the wet season to spend the dry season near permanent water. Mating occurs around July (in the season that the Bininj/Mungguy people of Kakadu call Wurrgeng) in the water and about 12 eggs are laid on one night in August or September (in the season of Gurrung).

Females use the same nesting sites repeatedly and the nesting hole is dug in the sandy river bank, about 10m from the water. Good maternal instinct is vital to the survival of the brood. The location of the nest must be above flood waters before hatching or an early wet season can flood nest, drowning the embryos. The depth of the nest determines heat gain from the sun, which affects development of the embryos.

Temperature plays another role, too. As in other crocodiles, some lizards, snakes, fish and turtles, the sex of hatchlings is determined by incubation temperature: 31-33°C produces mostly males; above or below, mostly females. (Climate change may have some implications here.)

The eggs are left unprotected. In the season of Gunumeleng, after some 9-13 weeks of incubation (and, hopefully, before the first floods), the adult females return to the nest. When a young crocodile hears the female patrolling the area, it calls to her from within the egg and uses its small egg-tooth to start breaking through the shell. The female digs out the eggs, helps the hatchling out of the egg and carries the 25cm hatchlings to the water.

A large proportion of the nests are dug up by goannas and feral pigs that eat the eggs. The eggs are also a favoured seasonal food of the indigenous people. Only about 30% of the eggs laid will hatch (in some areas, it might be as low as 5%) and only about 1% result in mature adults.

Hunted for their skins until they became rare, Freshwater Crocodiles have been protected from hunting since 1963 and numbers are now estimated at around 100,000. Whilst habitat destruction is a threat, they occur mainly in uninhabited or lightly habited areas and the biggest current threat to Freshwater Crocodiles appears to be poisoning by the Cane Toad (Bufo marinus).

The other common name for this species is the 'Johnston River Crocodile'. It's not named after the 'Johnston River' but, rather, after a Queenslander named, ... well, you'll see in a moment!

The species was first named 'C. johnsoni' by Krefft in 1873 but it is often referred to as 'C. johnstoni' because Krefft (in a later letter) indicated that he had named it after Robert Johnston of Queensland. (In fact, the man's name was Robert Johnstone, so the species should have been originally named 'C. johnstonei'!)

Under the rules that govern the naming of animals (the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Article 32.5.1), the name cannot be automatically corrected because the ICZN does NOT regard this as a spelling error. One of the intentions of the ICZN is to maintain stability of names, so that scientists around the world can reliably refer to a particular species (which is not possible by common names which can change with place and time). Accordingly, (a very simplified version of) one of the rules is that an animal's correct name is the one it was first given.

When Krefft originally published the name, he dedicated it to 'Johnson' and the dedication to 'Johnston' occurred only LATER, not in the ORIGINAL publication. Furthermore, the validity of a proposed change via personal letter is also questionable. The problem is that 'Johnson' is a real name. Had Krefft's original publication spelled the name 'ojhnstonei' instead of 'johnstonei', the correction to 'johnstonei' would have been easy, i.e. correction of what was clearly a spelling error.

So, even though the dedication was wrong, the rules state that the earlier name takes priority over the others, making the correct name ‘Crocodylus johnsoni’. Bad luck for Krefft and Johnstone!

Although this interpretation follows strictly the rules for naming, there are people who would like to see Krefft's original intentions fulfilled.
Traditionally, the crocodiles were classified with lizards, snakes, turtles and dinosaurs into a group called the ‘reptiles’. However, evidence from molecular biology now suggests that the reptile grouping is unnatural, using superficial features and not reflecting the evolution of these animals.

Surprisingly, the nearest living relations of crocodiles are the turtles and birds; lizards and snakes are more distant relations of crocodiles!

Crocodiles Information

Crocodiles are reptiles belonging to the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the subfamily Crocodylinae). The term is however also often used to mean all crocodilians, i.e. all animals belonging to the order Crocodilia which includes alligators, caimans and gharials (gavials) as well. A more correct way of referring to these animals is to say Crocodiles when referring only to the family Crocodylidae and crocodilians when referring to order Crocodilia.

Crocodiles are large aquatic mammals that can be found throughout the tropical world. Crocodiles have been around for 200 million years and changed very little during this time. They survived the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs and are today found in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas. Crocodiles are primarily found in freshwater but some species can also be found in brackish water. The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) can wander into marine environments but is also usually found in fresh or brackish water.

Different crocodile species differs in length from 1 m / 3.3 ft to almost 9 m / 30 ft. The smallest crocodile species are the ones found in the genera Palaeosuchus and Osteolaemus which grow to 100-150 cm / 3.3-5 ft in length. The largest species of crocodile in the world is the Saltwater crocodile. The largest recorded specimen of this species was 8.6 m (28 ft) and weighed 1,352 kg (2,980 lbs). That is however a rare case and 5 m / 16 ft and 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) is to be considered more normal, although some specimens do grow considerably larger as the earlier mentioned example demonstrates. The saltwater crocodile is also the most well known of all crocodiles and when people think about crocodiles they usually think of Saltwater or Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus). It is unknown how old crocodiles can become but we do know that they can exceed 100 years of age. A freshwater crocodile in captivity in Australia is estimated to be 130 years old.

Crocodiles are ambush hunters that eat fish, birds, reptiles and mammals as well as invertebrates. Large crocodiles are even known to eat sharks, and they will certainly not hesitate to prey on smaller members of their own species. The diet varies a little between species but all crocodiles are predatory. They are “cold blooded” like all reptiles which allow them to survive long periods without food. This means that they seldom need to actively hunt and instead can be opportunistic. Large crocodile species swallow stones and the exact purpose of this remains a mystery. Some believe it is to help digest the food while others believe they are used as ballast to help the crocodile keep its balance.

Most crocodile species belong to the genus Crocodylus but some species are found outside this genus. The taxonomy of crocodiles is under review and changes might be made to this classification soon. One such change is that the Slender-snouted crocodile might be moved to its own genus, Mecistops,due to findings discovered through DNA analysis.

This Is The Largest Crocodilianspecies

The Gharial is one of the largest crocodilianspecies. They are between 4 and 6 m (13 - 19.7 ft) in length and they can weigh up to 450 kgs (1,000 lbs). They have a life expectancy in the wild of 40 - 60 years.

Gharial are large and slender with a distinctive narrow snout. The snout shape varies depending on the age of the animal - it becomes longer and thinner as they get older. Males have a bulbous growth, known as a ghara, on the end of their snout and this produces bubbles and sounds during courtship. They have extremely sharp teeth with there being 54 - 58 on their upper jaw and 50 - 52 on their lower jaw.

Gharial are grey/olive in colour with youngsters being paler. Their tail is laterally flattened and they have broadly webbed feet which enables them to be extremely agile and quick when in the water. Their legs are relatively weak and they cannot move well on land. They tend to slide along on their belly as their legs are not strong enough to raise their body off the ground and achieve a high-walk gait.

Well most of them eat any old bobbins; the gharial has had plenty of time to evolve into something much more sophisticated since then. No he doesn’t have an impeccable knowledge of the wines of Bordeaux and he is said to be awful at the Charleston…. he has actually evolved into a remarkably sophisticated fish eater.

Up to six and a half meters long, he is not a wee chap this most aquatic of the crocodilians… what’s more he is really rather suited to the wet stuff. Not surprising then he eats fish, too fast for most crocs, but not for the gharial. That is why he has this huge long thin snout, rammed full of razor sharp teeth. He lies in wait with these toothy swords ajar and when a fishy dishy pops by… snap! The gharial is much faster than his lunking great cousins too, helped by the thin snout which cuts through the water like an oar on its side. If his snappy trap isn’t working he’ll use his flat paddle like tail to slip through the streams, or to whack unsuspecting fish on to the riverbank to scrobble down on.

The male has a ‘pot’ or ‘ghara’ at the end of the snout which grows with maturity. It is used to make hissing noises and apparently is used to blow bubbles which the fillies find quite delightful.

The Difference Between An Alligator And A Crocodile

Here's a bit of interesting trivia for you: All alligatorsare crocodiles, but not all crocodiles are alligators. Sound confusing? It's really not once you look at the taxonomy.

Both alligators and crocodiles are members of the reptilian order Crocodylia. But the families they belong to, Alligatoridae and Crocodylidae respectively, differ. Often, when people use the word "crocodile" what they really mean is "crocodilian." This term encompasses not just the common alligators and crocodiles you might already know, but also the lesser known Gavialidae family that contains the lone gavial, or gharial. All told, there are 23 species of crocodilians.

As a group, crocodilians are pretty impressive animals: Their lineage goes back 240 million years, meaning they've outlived the dinosaurs by a good 65 million years. Ideally suited for life in water and on land, members of the order can swim up to 20 mph (32 kph) and run up to 11 mph (17.6 kph). They're most at home in the water and can hold their breath for up to an hour. Eyes situated atop their heads enable them to keep a lookout for prey, while their powerful tails swiftly propel them through the water.

Crocodiles and alligators are top-notch hunters and will eat just about anything they can get their teeth on, from fish and turtles to monkeys and buffalo. With teeth specialized just for spearing, neither family even bothers to chew its food -- they swallow large chunks or the entire animal whole.

As if that weren't scary enough, crocodilians have incredibly powerful senses to detect their prey. Their eyesight above water is top notch, and thanks to vertical pupils that can open up extra wide to let in additional light, they also have keen night vision. And even though you can't see their ears, don't be fooled -- these small slits are sensitive enough to hear offspring calling from inside their eggs.Even their sense of smell is highly developed due to special organs in their snouts.

Crocodiles make gentle parents

Despite a fearsome repetition as dangerous animals, crocodiles make gentle parents. They construct river-side nest using decaying plant material that generates heat as it decomposes, just like a compost heap at home.

For our African dwarf crocodile, this warmth will incubates the ten or so eggs laid at the start of the African wet season (May to June). The eggs hatch 12-14 weeks later where the young crocs will already be 30cm (12″) long.Unusually for reptiles, crocodiles will vigorously guard their nest and protect the young, rather than abandoning both as common among relatives.

Crocodiles have inhabited the Earth since the age of the dinosaurs, although they were far larger at 15m long (45’) long. They have survived for millions of years using sophisticated adaptations that have fine-tuned their survival and hunting ability.The most obvious (and frightening!) adaptation are a strong propelling tail and powerful jaw, but crocodiles can also sense tiny vibrations of prey moving in the distance and hold their breath for an hour underwater waiting.

While our African dwarf crocodile is usually solitary, many species are even seen working together in teams to ambush prey.Crocodiles are long respected in many cultures and even looked upon as gods. Unfortunately, the smaller size of the African dwarf crocodile makes this species more vulnerable, especially to capture for locally traded ‘bush meat’ (rainforest animals). Luckily, they are not hunted for their skin (hide), which makes poor quality products.

Crocodile Family

Crocodile, common name for any of a number of reptiles in a family of the crocodilian order. The term crocodilian refers to all members of the order, which includes alligators, caimans, and gavials as well as crocodiles.

 
Some members of the crocodile family are the largest living reptiles.The Nile crocodile of Africa was revered by certain ancient Egyptian sects, and mummies of crocodiles have been discovered in Egyptian tombs. In modern times this species has been hunted so extensively that few individuals remain in the lower Nile, but they are still abundant in the upper Nile and southward in Africa to the Cape of Good Hope.The American crocodile, the largest crocodile in the Americas, reaches lengths of about 7 m (about 23 ft) and inhabits a broad range from southern Florida southward, including Cuba and other Caribbean islands, southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.

Crocodile eggs are used for food in some parts of the world. The skin is highly valued for leather, and the extract from the musk glands is used in the manufacture of perfumes. Due to overhunting, most crocodiles—including the American crocodile—are considered endangered species.

Scientific classification: Crocodiles belong to the genera Crocodylus,Osteolamus, and Tomistoma of the family Crocodylidae, order Crocodylia. The Indo-Pacific crocodile is classified as Crocodylus porosus, the swamp crocodile as Crocodylus palustris, the Nile crocodile as Crocodylus niloticus, the Cuban crocodile as Crocodylus rhombifer, the Morelet's crocodile as Crocodylus moreletii, the Orinoco crocodile as Crocodylus intermedius, and the American crocodile as Crocodylus acutus.

Different types of Crocodiles

Large scaly-skinned reptile with a long, low body and short legs. Crocodiles can grow up to 7 m/23 ft in length, and have long, powerful tails that propel them when swimming. They are found near swamps, lakes, and rivers in Asia, Africa, Australia, and Central America. They are fierce hunters and active mainly at night. Young crocodiles eat worms and insects, but as they mature they add frogs and small fish to their diet. Adult crocodiles will attack animals the size of antelopes and, occasionally, people. They can live up to 100 years and are related to the alligator and the smaller cayman.

There are 15 species of crocodile, all of them endangered, found in tropical parts of Africa, Asia, Australia, and Central America. The largest is the saltwater (indopacific) crocodile Crocodylus porosus, which can grow to 7 m/23 ft or more, and is found in eastern India, Australia, and the western Pacific, in both freshwater and saltwater habitats. The Nile crocodile C. niloticus is found in Africa and reaches 6 m/20 ft. The American crocodile C. acutus, about 4.6 m/15 ft long, is found from southern Florida to Ecuador. The gavial, or gharial, Gavialis gangeticus is sometimes placed in a family of its own. It is an Indian species that grows to 6.5 m/21 ft or more, and has a very long narrow snout specialized for capturing and eating fish. The Cuban crocodile C. rhombifer has a short snout, grows up to 3.5 m/11.5 ft, and lives in freshwater swamps in Cuba. Morelet's crocodile C. moreletti is found in Central America, where it is overhunted, and grows up to 3.5 m/11.5 ft. Johnston's crocodile C. johnstoni is an Australian crocodile that feeds mainly on fish and reaches up to 3 m/9.75 ft in length. The Siamese crocodile C. siamensis is found in the wild in Cambodia and Laos. These populations consist of only a few hundred crocodile, making the Siamese one of the most endangered crocodile species. The Philippine crocodile C. mindorensis is found in the Philippine Islands and grows to just under 3 m/9.75 ft. C. palustris is an Indian crocodile resembling the Nile crocodile but smaller, reaching up to 4 m/13 ft. The Orinoco crocodile C. intermedius grows up to 6 m/19.5 ft. Tomistoma schlegelli is found in rivers in India and Indochina and grows up to 4 m/13 ft. The African slender-snouted crocodile C. cataphractus grows up to 4 m/13 ft and is found in western and central Africa. Osteolaemus tetraspis, the dwarf crocodile, reaches only 2 m/6.6 ft in length and is found in the tropical forests of west and central Africa. The New Guinea crocodile C. novaguineae reaches 7 m/23 ft in length.

Do You Know The World's Biggest Crocodile?

The biggest crocodile in the world came from the Mary River, Australia. Being nearly 6.19 meters long, he set the record in 1974. The second one was shot in 1983 in Papua New Guinea, with approximately the same size as the first one.

The biggest crocodile that was born in captivity was Yai which means “big”. He was born in 1972 at the Samutprakarn Farm of Crocodiles in Thailand. He was about 6 meters long and weighted about ton and some 115 kg.
The biggest crocodile kept alive was from South Carolina, USA. It happened in 2002. The animal was more than 6 meters long.
There are some claims that the biggest crocodile ever was something between 6.12 and 7 meters long, and this assumption is based upon the skull analysis. This animal was killed in 1926 in Dhamara and the Kanika King kept his skull, which is still being kept by the Kanika family. According to wildlife experts, the skull makes ninth part of the entire crocodile’s body, so following this assumption they calculated the total body length.
There are also some claims that the largest crocodile ever came from the Bengal Bay and was nearly 10 meters long.
An interesting fact is that the crocodile fossils provide the information on the size that would be twice bigger that today living crocodiles. So, maybe that is the period in which we should look for the record. But if we still want to just stick to our own time, then the biggest living crocodile would certainly come from the Crocodylus porosus species.
Some of the large species are quite endangered, such as the Nile crocodile. The American crocodile is also endangered species. And the list is getting longer. The number of endangered large crocodile species is getting higher and higher. Perhaps we should concentrate more on how to preserve them instead of measuring them and looking for record-figures.

Crocodile attacks man in Bangkok floodwaters

Bangkok - A crocodile attacked a man in floodwaters in Bangkok's northern district of Lak Si, leaving him with a bite wound that required 100 stitches, officials said.
'The man is in stable condition,' Bangkok Metroplitan Authority spokesman Jate Sopitpongstorn said.
Arhtit Pansudae, 29, was attacked as he waded through chest-high waters in the market neighbourhood Thursday, the Thai Rath news website reported.
The crocodile was again spotted in the same neighbourhood Friday morning.
'I was taking supplies in a boat to a family stranded on the second floor of their house and they started shouting, 'crocodile, crocodile,'' Lak Si resident Chusak Ruenran told Thai Rath.
'As far as I could see the crocodile was about one and a half metres to two metres long,' he said.
Thailand has been hit by its worst floods in five decades, swamping vast swathes of the central plains and the northern suburbs of Bangkok, the capital.
The floodwaters have also inundated several crocodile farms, allowing scores of the reptiles to escape.
Thailand boasts the world's largest commercial crocodile industry, with more than 20 registered farms and hundreds of smaller, unregistered ones throughout the country.
The giant reptiles are raised for their skins, used to make luxury handbags and shoes, while the meat and blood are exported to other Asian markets where they are believed to be medicinal.

False crocodile panic tourism to the world to the most dangerous beaches

　　
Do these sands belong to the world's most dangerous beach, or is it a crock? 　　Journalists are busy these days -– constant deadlines and industry fat-trimming often places high demands on their time. But let’s not make excuses for mediocrity.
A report published in London’s Telegraph News listing “the world’s most dangerous beaches” included Fraser Island due to its apparent crocodiles. It was labeled a “certified no-go zone.”
It’s turned out to be a crock of lies
Tourism Queensland boss Anthony Hayes told www.news.com the report was “bollocks.”
It seems its source was a bunch Korean tourists, whose photo of a fake, sun-weltered, paint-losing, Styrofoam croc was snapped on the white sands of Fraser Island in 2006. It was given a comical billing in the local Fraser Coast Chronicle.
But with Photoshop, on a slow news day, half a world away and years later, anything can happen.
Fraser, which at 1,840 square kilometers is the world's largest sand island, is also threatened by sharks and box jellyfish, according to the Telegraph News' report.

Crocodile and python

A Burmese python slithering through the Everglades proved that her eyes weren't bigger than her stomach, swallowing intact a 76-pound deer.

At 15.65 feet, the python isn't the largest on record. But the size of her prey both impresses and concerns state and federal wildlife scientists and land managers trying to control the non-native species.

"They are large exotic animals that are not naturally from this area," said Randy Smith, spokesperson for the South Florida Water Management District. "The potential to wreak havoc on the natural Florida wildlife ... they don't have true enemies."

Contractors spraying exotic vegetation Thursday came across the female python on an island about 20 miles from Everglades National Park, Smith told CNN Tuesday. It was dispatched, by protocol, with a single shotgun blast to the head.

A necropsy conducted by Everglades National Park wildlife biologists showed the python had a girth of 44.1 inches after devouring the adult female deer. The snake normally weighed 139 pounds.

Officials Tuesday said they are trying to determine the age and health of the deer.

"We see them on a regular basis," Smith said of pythons. "We've dispatched hundreds of these in the past few years."

The menu for Burmese, rock and African pythons includes rodents, birds or smaller snakes. In 2005, a python apparently busted its gut after it had consumed a 6-foot alligator.

Some of the snakes may have escaped enclosures after Hurricane Andrew's widespread destruction in 1992.

But there's a more likely cause for the problem.

"Obviously, some of these were pets," Smith said. When people realize they are going to grow up to be much larger than they expected, they often release the creatures into the wild.

That's the worst thing you can do, officials said.

Management and park officials have tried trapping, but that's largely failed.

Scientists and park managers are studying the exotic reptiles' breeding habits and pinpointing their locations to devise a strategy for controlling them.

"It's not meant to be successful in this habitat," Linda Friar, spokeswoman for Everglades National Park, said of the Burmese python. "We don't have any idea how many there are. This is the biggest (one) we have ever dealt with."

The giant reptiles compete with alligators and crocodiles.

Although pythons have been found in or near some residential areas west of Miami, there have been no reports of injuries to people, Smith said.

Friar said invasive fish species, such as walking catfish and lionfish, are an even bigger problem in southern Florida.

The Nile crocodile

　　The Nile crocodile has a somewhat deserved reputation as a vicious man-eater. The proximity of much of its habitat to people means run-ins are frequent. And its virtually indiscriminate diet means a villager washing clothes by a riverbank might look just as tasty as a migrating wildebeest. Firm numbers are sketchy, but estimates are that up to 200 people may die each year in the jaws of a Nile croc.

　　Africa's largest crocodilian, these primordial brutes reach a maximum size of about 20 feet (6 meters) and can weigh up to 1,650 pounds (730 kilograms). Average sizes, though, are more in the range of 16 feet (5 meters) and 500 pounds (225 kilograms). They live throughout sub-Saharan Africa, the Nile Basin, and Madagascar in rivers, freshwater marshes, and mangrove swamps.
The diet of the Nile crocodile is mainly fish, but it will attack almost anything unfortunate enough to cross its path, including zebras, small hippos, porcupines, birds, and other crocodiles. It will also scavenge carrion, and can eat up to half its body weight at a feeding.
One unusual characteristic of this fearsome predator is its caring nature as a parent. Where most reptiles lay their eggs and move on, mother and father Nile crocs ferociously guard their nests until the eggs hatch, and they will often roll the eggs gently in their mouths to help hatching babies emerge.
Hunted close to extinction in the 1940s through the 1960s, local and international protections have helped them rebound in most areas. In some regions, though, pollution, hunting, and habitat loss have severely depleted their numbers.

Joe Hildebrand and crocodiles

　　
　　Above: An impressive sample of the Northern Territory’s most highly evolved creatures. Picture also shows a crocodile.
.
THE naturalist Charles Darwin observed that when confronted with a hostile and unliveable environment, organisms would mutate into strange new species never before seen on the planet.
While controversial when it was first published, this theory does at least explain the existence of Northern Territorians.
It is fitting that the city which bears Darwin’s name is also the home of a new master race that spends most of its waking hours trying to figure out how to keep beer cold.
There are many reasons why Darwinians need to get as drunk as they can as often as possible, chief among them being the inherent torment of living in Darwin.
The city lives in an endless summer and it would be difficult to tell the seasons apart were it not for the fact that in one of them it never rains and in the other it never stops raining.
Either way though, it is always hot and so the city is lucky to be surrounded by beautiful beaches. Not only that, but the water is a divine shade of blue and the perfect temperature for swimming.
Indeed, the only slight drawback is that it is filled with man-eating crocodiles, deadly box jellyfish and the occasional killer shark.
Of course the Darwinians weren’t the first to conceive of a place that was unbearably hot and filled with water you couldn’t touch. The Ancient Greeks had a similar place. It was called Hades.
Having said that, many Darwin residents do still go in the water during the months when there are not huge swarms of deadly jellyfish. At that time all you are risking is being mauled by a crocodile, which is a deeply traumatic experience but still marginally more pleasant than staying at Darwin Casino.
Indeed, the Territory is home to thousands of these leather-skinned old dinosaurs _ and also several crocodiles.
The crocodiles like to do pretty much what all the locals do, which is to say hang out in backyard pools eating anything that’s within reach.
It is perhaps for this reason that Territorians not only tolerate crocodiles but actively encourage them.
For starters there is a ban on people hunting crocodiles _ a courtesy, it should be noted, that crocodiles do not extend to people.
This means that the crocs have learnt to no longer fear humans and are probably starting to wonder why they were ever afraid of us in the first place.
But not satisfied with that, Territorians have now taught crocodiles to actively seek out humans as a source of food. Thanks to the ``jumping crocs’’ phenomenon, these giant killing machines have been trained to think that if they are hungry they just have to listen for the sound of a small tinnie crammed with people, swim up right beside it, leap out of the water with their jaws wide open as close to the humans as possible.
What could possibly go wrong?
In many other jurisdictions questions would be raised about the wisdom of this practice, however in the Territory it is considered not only harmless but also a viable business plan.
Few other places in the world have decided that the best drawcard for tourists is to lure them to the middle of nowhere and then almost get them killed but this is typical of the unique genius Territorians have evolved.
Not only does the strategy work, but from a Territorian’s point of view it is failsafe: If the tourist survives, they get more money to buy beer, whereas if the tourist gets eaten… Who cares? They’re a tourist.
Southerners do not think in this way, which is why they are also regarded by Territorians as foreigners and thus slightly below crocodiles.
Indeed it is important to remember when visiting the NT that it is they who think you are a bit slow.
A typical example of this was one local boating enthusiast who expressed his disbelief that the authorised study of crocodiles was left to ``so-called scientists’’ and not his moustachioed offsider, who appeared to have just drunk a bottle of Southern Comfort and was now face deep in a bowl of spaghetti.
Indeed, it cannot be denied that just to have survived into adulthood in the Territory is a fairly impressive feat, and only slightly less difficult than surviving a night at the Casino (which, for example, requires guests to sign a waiver before they open the balcony door).
Indeed I was surprised to be told that the hotel was rated five stars, until I found out this was out of a possible 10.
The fact of the matter is that Darwin is just too tough a place for regular humans: If the crocodiles don’t destroy you then the architecture certainly will. It’s a wild nonsensical town full of mad alcoholics.
And I’m sure there are some bad things about it too.

This Is About Flood Waters Free Crocodiles in Thailand

　　
　　Apichart Weerawong/Associated PressA crocodile caught in a flooded residential area in the Bangbuatong district of Nonthaburi province, north of Bangkok on Sunday.
First it was Bengal tigers in Ohio. Now it’s crocodiles in Bangkok that have broken loose and are menacing the local population.
The authorities have warned that crocodiles are swimming through rising flood waters around the outskirts of the heavily populated capital of Thailand, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Estimates of the number vary, with the Australian report saying “thousands.” At least 100 broke free last week in Ayutthaya province, north of the capital, according to reports.
The government has been keeping a wary eye on the country’s crocodiles since flood waters began to rise early this month. Thailand is among the world’s main exporters of crocodile products, farming roughly 200,000 at 30 farms wiht 900 small breeding operations, my colleague Seth Mydans reports.
Authorities have offered cash rewards of 1,000 baht — about $32 —for each crocodile caught alive, according to CNN.
The reward appeared to be enough to prompt men to brave the sharp teeth of the livestock, using rope to secure the crocodiles and haul them back from their suburban hideouts.
Chai Patacamin, a journalist at Thailand’s Daily News, posted a dramatic picture of a crocodile capture in a flooded street on Sunday in what appeared to be the outskirts of Bangkok. The absence of any rope indicated that the animal was either dead or extremely docile.

　　Chai Patacamin, via yfrogMen hauled a crocodile across a flooded street in Thailand on Sunday. It was unclear if the animal was still alive; most that are captured living must be tied up.
Photographs and video posted online in recent days showed the usual method of securing the potentially dangerous animal, tying the mouth and all four legs with a long piece of rope. Officials and villagers in the Bangbuatong district caught eight crocodiles over the weekend on a flooded road north of the capital and shot two dead, according to the Bangkok Post, an English-language daily.
So far there have been no reports of the newly freed crocodiles injuring any people.
Apichart Weerawong/Associated PressA crocodile in a boat north of the capital on Sunday.
The video below, uploaded to YouTube over the weekend, appeared to show teams of men hunting for crocodiles in small boats. Though similar boats have appeared in photographs of the October flooding and crocodile expeditions, the location and exact timing of the crocodile hunt could not be firmly established:

And crocodiles kissing

Mónica Quesada

Poncho the crocodile plays with his owner Gilberto Sheedan.

Watch a video of Chito and Pocho performing
Pocho, the “domesticated” Costa Rican crocodile that gained international attention for a weekly show he performed with owner Gilberto Sheedan, died Tuesday at Finca Las Tilapias in the Caribbean-slope town of Siquirres. Olga Valle, Sheedan’s wife, said the nearly 1,000-pound croc died a natural death at  age 50. A funeral will be held for Pocho on Sunday at 1 p.m.
“All of the people in the village have offered their condolences and assistance,” Valle said.
On past Sundays, Pocho and “Chito,” as Sheedan was better known, performed a show for visitors in a 100-square-meter artificial lake at Finca Las Tilapias. Chito, 54, declared the one-eyed crocodile “domesticated.” He could command Pocho to do tricks such as winking its one good eye, lifting its head and tail out of the water, rolling over and permitting Chito to stick his head inside the massive reptile’s maw.
Chito found the 5-meter-long crocodile near death on the shore of the Parismina River, in the Limón province, 17 years ago. The crocodile had been shot in the left eye. Chito and several friends loaded the animal into a boat and took him to Siquirres, where Pocho was nursed back to health. Chito even slept with the crocodile during its recovery.
After an employee saw Chito swimming with Pocho one day, word of the duo’s friendship spread. In July 2000, Costa Rica’s Channel 7 filmed the unusual pair. Chito and Pocho became stars, receiving attention as far as the United States, Chile and the United Kingdom.
The Environment, Energy and Telecommunications Ministry allowed Chito to keep the crocodile as long as they could monitor it. Chito worked with a veterinarian and a biologist and fed Pocho 30 kilograms of fish and chicken a week.
Chito never imagined the fame that would come from the unique friendship. All he wanted was an animal companion. A sign on his ranch emphasized that relationship: “Chito and Pocho are best friends.”
“I just wanted him to feel that someone loved him, that not all humans are bad,” Chito told The Tico Times in 2007. “I love all animals, especially ones that have suffered.”

Crocodiles inspire fear

Crocodiles inspire fear, which may have something to do with their coolly dominating presence. After all, for nearly 100 million years during the Mesozoic era (248-65 million years ago), the crocodilian order ruled the Earth. Today's crocodiles have changed remarkably little since then. They are still the most advanced reptile species, and they still terrify most people. In this feature, we ask that you put aside your fears and get up close and personal with a Nile crocodile. 　　Launch Interactive Printable Version What makes this reptile such a fearsome predator? Explore the anatomy of a cro

Oregon never has experienced a wild-animal

  Oregon never has experienced a wild-animal escape as catastrophic as the one Tuesday in Ohio, where 49 animals were shot dead by authorities. But beasts do periodically slip from their Northwest confines. 　　In 2005, a Clackamas County sheriff's deputy shot and killed a pet Siberian lynx that wandered into a Happy Valley home and attacked a 6-year-old girl. In 2009, nine Japanese macaques escaped the Oregon National Primate Research Center in Hillsboro; they were re-captured. This summer, a South American anteater moseyed through a Rainier neighborhood after exiting a facility licensed to breed exotic animals.
A 2002 alligator escape in Beaverton prompted Oregon legislators to craft a law that took effect Jan. 1, 2010. It aims to phase out certain exotic pets, including crocodiles, alligators, nonhuman primates and nondomestic dogs or cats. No new permits are issued for such animals.
No one is sure how many wild animals live in captive situations outside Oregon's zoos, wildlife parks, breeding operations, sanctuaries and rehab centers because some of those who keep exotic animals fail to get permits, which are required by law.
"Exotic" as defined by state law includes non-domestic cats, nonhuman primates, bears, wolves and other nonindigenous canines, other than domestic dogs. Many species -- from water buffalo to venomous snakes -- don't fall under the definition.
Plus, information on licensed and permitted exotics isn't collected in one place. Species are regulated by different agencies. Counties and cities have their own rules.
In the hodgepodge of regulations, for instance, the Oregon Department of Agriculture issues permits for nonindigenous bears, but the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regulates American black bears. ODA handles nonindigenous cats, other than domestic cats, while ODFW deals with cougars, bobcats and lynx.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture licenses 44 Oregon exhibitors, such as circuses and theme parks. ODA has active permits issued for 27 cats, 14 nonhuman primates, seven crocodiles and a handful of small foxes. ODFW has active permits issued for 21 bobcats. A Bend man and Bandon's West Coast Game Park have permits to breed cougars. The game park also is permitted to breed bears.
"We don't have anyone permitted that approaches this one in the Midwest," said state veterinarian Don Hansen. And Rick Boatner, ODFW's invasive species/wildlife integrity coordinator, said exotic-pet ownership "is not such a big deal in Oregon, as far as I know."
Individuals and others who keep exotics must follow caging requirements and they face surprise inspections. The state agriculture department inspects every two years -- more often if the agency gets complaints. Hansen said they don't get many.
Zoo and other wildlife professionals say few individual exotic-animal owners grasp the complexities required to keep animals healthy and safe -- one reason many exotic pets end up dying prematurely or being surrendered to sanctuaries.
"There's always been a subset of folks who think it'd be really neat to own a tiger or a leopard," said Oregon Zoo director Kim Smith. "But they're predators ... There's a lot of responsibility and highly trained care required."
The zoo, Wildlife Safari in Winston and the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport are the only Oregon outfits accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a rating considered the industry gold standard. Accreditation inspections look at everything from exhibit design and veterinary care to nutrition expertise and safety procedures.
The zoo, Wildlife Safari and the Oregon National Primate Research Center all use secure double-gate systems. The primate center updated the one weak link in its system that made the 2009 macaque escape possible, head veterinarian C.J. Doan said.
At the zoo and Wildlife Safari, staff members routinely practice for emergencies. Zoo staffers recently drilled as if an elephant had gotten loose. Keepers and others knew their roles, from a weapons team to those charged with getting visitors to safety. One employee even played the role of the elephant.
Like many zoo professionals, Smith has dealt with actual escapes. Early on, as a keeper at a zoo she declined to name, baboons got loose on the day their new exhibit was to open. With nets, sedatives and food, keepers captured them all in short order.
Before Dan Brands went to work for Wildlife Safari 4 1/2 years ago, he said, a bear slipped through a gate and entered an area visitors drove through. Now, a fence separates visitors from the bears.
That's not to say the southern Oregon wildlife park has solved all its problems.
"We have a giraffe that likes to relocate from one area to another," said Brands, the general curator. "He tiptoes across cattle guards and goes into our Americas exhibit and Asia exhibit," apparently attracted by some tasty trees.
Tim Harrison, a retired Ohio police officer called to help Tuesday when Terry Thompson freed his menagerie before killing himself, will be in Oregon Oct. 29, attending a benefit for Sherwood's WildCat Haven. The sanctuary houses more than 60 captive-born wild cats that had been abused, neglected or abandoned.
Harrison founded the nonprofit Outreach for Animals, which works to educate people about why wild animals aren't suitable as pets. And he has the lead role in a new documentary, "The Elephant in the Living Room," about dangerous predators roaming city streets, thanks to the exotic pet trade.
He rails against weak laws and blames reality TV -- such shows as "Crocodile Hunter" and "Animal Planet," he says -- for building public desire to keep wild beasts as pets.
Contacted by phone Friday, he sounded as if he still was reeling from the carnage in Zanesville.
"We're hoping some major laws will be changed," Harrison said. "Common sense ain't that common anymore."
 

Crocodile escape

　　
　　The crocodile which was caught by a passer-by was taken to the zoo. —File Photos
HA NOI — A crocodile was recently caught by a passer-by after fleeing from a crocodile farm in Hoang Mai District, raising concern about the management of wild animals in the city.
The reptile was later taken to Ha Noi Zoo. It escaped from a crocodile farm owned by Duong Van Vien in Linh Nam Ward. He is raising 20 others.
Vien told Kinh te and Do Thi newspaper (Economy and Urban Affairs) that he bought 30 crocodiles worth more than VND100 million (US$4,800) from a farm in northern Hung Yen Province to entertain tourists. Nine of them died and one escaped.
The head of the Ha Noi Forestry Management Department, Dang Van Phuc, was quoted by the newspaper as saying that raising wild animals was an activity that must be registered with his department.
However, Phuc added that his department had granted no licences to any citizens in Hoang Mai District to raise crocodiles.
"Crocodile farmers are required to ensure the height and strength of cages as well as water levels," he said. "Vien therefore has violated regulations. Further investigations are being made."
The department urged Vien to submit legal documents proving the origin of the crocodiles and to register with the department. To date, 21 crocodile farms in the city have registered with the department.
Under current regulations, those found to be illegally raising wild rare and valuable animals will be fined between VND50-500 million ($2,400-24,000), according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)'s Management Authority of Viet Nam.
The Ha Noi People's Committee in July fined a resident in Chuong My District VND50 million ($2,400) for illegally raising two wild cats listed as rare and valuable wild animals. — VNS

Mourning die crocodile

　　
　　Matt Levin
Gilberto “Chito” Sheedan bids farewell to Pocho the crocodile at an Oct. 16 funeral for the celebrated trained reptile.
The final time Chito and Pocho took center stage seemed no less stirring, hard-to-believe and ridiculous than the act’s original premise – a crocodile and a human as best friends.
After two decades of performing together, Pocho the “domesticated” crocodile died last Tuesday of natural causes in his manmade swamp at Finca Las Tilapias, in the Caribbean-slope town of Siquirres. The croc’s owner, Gilberto Sheedan, better known as “Chito,” said his partner was nearing 60 years old.
On Sunday – the day Pocho and Chito normally frolicked in the water for visitors – the village held a grand funeral for the huge reptile.
Chito placed the 5-meter, 450-kilo dead crocodile in a wagon and hitched it to a car that drove the duo around the town. Dozens of vehicles joined the motorcade. At least 50 mourners kept pace with the procession, while onlookers sprinted up to the cart to snap photos. By the time the tour ended, back at Finca Las Tilapias, some 300 people had shown up at the ranch.
“Our act was something very special,” Chito, 54, said. “Always people who didn’t know Pocho took something extraordinary from it.”
Chito found Pocho wounded and near death on the shore of the Parismina River, in Limón province, in 1989. The crocodile had been shot in the left eye, and Chito nursed it back to health. A decade later, an employee at the finca saw Chito swimming with Pocho, and told local media. The unusual pair became stars after their first show in the summer of 2000. The ranch kept a veterinarian and a biologist to check on the crocodile’s health. Pocho fed on 30 kilograms of fish and chicken a week.
Large crowds gathered weekly around the artificial lake to watch Pocho and Chito, with the crocodile performing tricks such as winking, rolling over and allowing Chito to put his head inside its giant, fang-lined mouth.
The memorial at Finca Las Tilapias recognized the croc’s importance to the community. Onlookers watched Chito give a passionate goodbye to Pocho, the reptilian half of an act that became the biggest tourist attraction in the small, muggy pueblo and picked up coverage from around the world.
The funeral certainly seemed like the biggest event Siquirres had seen in some time. Chito’s friends quoted Bible passages to the audience about loving animals. They dedicated songs to Pocho, and played videos of past performances and interviews with Chito.
“It was beautiful,” Siquirres native Xinia Mejía, 40, said. “At least here, we’ve never seen anything like this.”
Visitors from across the country came to observe the ceremony. Miguel Arias, 57, from San Carlos in northern Costa Rica, had never seen Chito and Pocho perform, but became interested after seeing a report on the news. Arias said he was stunned by the outpouring of support for the crocodile and the “beautiful” ceremony.
Funeral garb, however, was not required. Chito, dark-skinned, bald-headed and fit, dressed in the leopard-print loincloth and bandana he wore during his shows with Pocho. Many congregants wore T-shirts dedicated to Pocho’s memory. The shirts sold for $4 at Finca Las Tilapias, alongside mugs dedicated to Chito and Pocho and a selection of small wooden crocodiles.
Pocho’s carcass will be embalmed and placed on display at a museum at Finca Las Tilapias.
Skeptics may say the funeral was just a money-making charade, but Chito’s copious tears did not appear to be of the crocodile variety. He seemed to need the attention and support of the crowd to stay composed. While other guests took the microphone to speak about Pocho, Chito could be seen bawling in the arms of his wife, Olga, or leaning over the crocodile with tears on his cheeks.
When Chito moved front and center again, he seemed determined to keep the last show with his “brother” Pocho as momentous as

　　Chito mourns the death of his “domesticated” pet crocodile, Pocho.
Matt Levin
past ones. The most peculiar highlight – one that seemed to condense Chito’s affection for Pocho and also his love for the limelight – came when he sang The Platters’ classic “The Great Pretender.” Chito wailed each lyric of the 1960s hit about denial to the fallen crocodile: “Oh yes I’m the great pretender / Pretending I’m doing well / My need is such I pretend too much / I’m lonely but no one can tell.”
As Chito and Pocho’s fame grew, there were those who suspected the croc would one day make “Chito finito” out of Sheedan. Lolinda Mighty Hall, who grew up with Chito in Siquirres, remembered how fearful everyone was that the crocodile would turn on its trainer. Hall, 58, said over time they saw a genuine connection develop.
Other crocodiles later joined Pocho in Chito’s swamp. The question circulated throughout the afternoon of whether Chito would soon begin training the next Pocho.
The speculation reached Chito midway through the ceremony. Replace Pocho? Chito sucked in a deep breath.
“Pocho is Pocho, the only one,” Chito said, his voice cracking. “Much of the public and all the people of Siquirres responded to him. There is no more Pocho. He will be the only Pocho there ever was.”

Pocho the friendly Costa Rican crocodile

　　Pocho the friendly Costa Rican crocodile has died in the Caribbean town of Siquirres.
The 50-year-old crocodile gained international fame for his weekly Sunday show he performed with owner Gilberto Sheedan.
　　Olga Valle, wife of Sheedan, said: "All of the people in the village have offered their condolences and assistance."
Chito, 54, described the one-eyed crocodile 'domesticated'. He could command Pocho to do tricks such as winking its one good eye, lifting its head and tail out of the water, rolling over and permitting Chito to stick his head inside the massive reptile's maw.
Chito found the five-metre-long crocodile close to death on the shore of the Parismina river, in the Lim
.

The unique the Philippines ogre crocodile

　　
This kind of story is tragic and sad, but typical of the problems faced with conservation of crocodiles. The Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) is considered perhaps the most endangered of all the species, with less than 100 individuals remaining in the wild and considerable pressure on its remaining habitat. Yet there are now estimated to be 7,000 Philippine crocodiles in captivity, more than enough to help replenish wild populations before they disappear forever. The problem is getting permission to release them. It seems nobody in a position to grant this permission wants any Philippine crocodiles released back into the wild, based on unfounded fears that these crocodiles may start to kill people (there has not been a single documented attack by a Philippine crocodile on a human recorded). There has always been confusion in the Philippines between the Philippine crocodile and the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and the admittedly rare attacks by the latter species have unfortunately also tarred the reputation of the former. 　　Yet it should be clear to anyone in the Philippines of the value of crocodiles to their country, on a week after the world's largest saltwater crocodile was captured and placed into captivity for the purposes of tourism and education about crocodiles. Perhaps those same officials who refuse to consider releasing an endemic and unique crocodile, a species that should be a source of national pride for their country (and international derision should it be allowed to disappear forever), should read their own newspapers and realise how important (and valuable) crocodiles can be for a country that is lucky enough to still have them.

Adventure crocodile

　　

For 20 years, near Lake Tanganyika in Burundi, locals have been terrorized by one of the largest freshwater crocodiles in the world. The 25 foot long crocodile, named Gustave, has an insatiable appetite... for people. He is known for having eaten over 200 people, though some believe that number to be as high as 300. In the past, all attempts to catch or kill Gustave were unsuccessful. Still, for one man who has made it his mission to hunt the crocodile, there may be a more humane solution to stopping this man-eater.
Patrice Faye is Frenchman, but he's been living in Burundi for the past two decades. He became something of a local hero 11 years ago when he made his first attempts to capture Gustave using a trap, but that didn't work out well. "He must have a very strong survival instinct , because he has survived while other crocodiles were massacred," Faye told the BBC Brasil.
Despite the fact that Gustave has eaten so many people, Faye still has respect for his elusive nemesis--and does not intend on killing him.
We live in an age where creatures like these are increasingly rare. He's a prehistoric animal, very fat. In the water, he's like a hippo. But he still has all his teeth, suggesting that he is about 68 years.
During one three month period that he followed the crocodile, 17 people were eaten. This had lead Faye to estimate that Gustave has probably eaten over 300 in the last 20 years. "I do not think it is a matter of taste, but a question of what he can hunt," he said.
Faye points out that Gustave's massive size likely makes acquiring more conventional meals difficult--plus a diet of fish probably wouldn't be enough to satisfy his appetite. Faye says the crocodile "has no choice but to hunt easier prey," and humans in or around the lake are good candidates.
So, what's the best way to humanely deal with a man-eating crocodile? Faye hopes that following Gustave's movements more closely might reduce the numbers of people being eaten.
I have informants. In Burundi, thousands of people who live along the lake, especially fishermen who spend most of their time in water. I gave them a dozen cell phones to tell me where he is.
Still, some gun-wielding locals have made attempts to stop Gustave themselves. "Many fishermen said they had hit him. He seems to have bullet proof leather."
It may take more than a bullet to stop an enormous, man-eating crocodile--or to discourage his devoted follower, Patrice Faye.

The African crocodile is recognisable

　　

Crocodiles are tropical reptiles. They are thick skinned and lizard-like in shape. Adult crocodiles grow to between 2.5 m and 4.2 m. The African crocodile is recognisable by its narrow snout. It has three or four rows of protective scales on the back of its neck, which merge with the scales on its back (other members of the Crocodylus genus have only two rows of scales). The fourth tooth of the African crocodile’s lower jaw sits outside the crocodile’s lips even when its mouth is closed.
Crocodiles are found primarily in freshwater rivers that have dense vegetation cover. They can also be found in large lakes. Crocodiles are most at home in the water, but are able to travel on land.
Crocodiles are carnivores. They use their sharp teeth for catching and holding their prey. Their diet is thought to consist primarily of fish and small aquatic invertebrates. Young crocodiles feed on worms and insects. While adults eat frogs, tadpoles, and opportunistically on larger prey if it becomes available including humans.
The African crocodile is generally not found in groups, except during the onset of the breeding season. At the onset of the rainy season female crocodiles construct nests out of plant matter on the banks of rivers, although breeding occurs year-round. Female African crocodiles lay between 13 to 27 eggs about a week after they have finished building their nests.

Chinese alligator living habits and predator method

Some people called the alligator alligators alligator, fish it as a kind of aquatic animals. In fact, there is no alligators gills, not aquatic animals, but the alligator back in the water, forming a number of features to adapt to life in water, with only amphibious ability. This, Alligator on the expansion of areas of life, making them easy to become a winner in the struggle for survival.
Alligators in the lakes and pond burrowing and habitat, ferocious nature, a variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and crustaceans. June mate, lay eggs from July to August, can lay 10-20 pieces of litter. Eggs in the grass, weeds on the cover, the mother alligator will guard the side, by the natural temperature of incubation, the incubation period is about 60 days. With hibernation habits of drilling in October each year in hibernation cave to come out in April and May next year

activities. 　　Alligator hi static, often hiding in caves during the day, going out at night to feed. But it also came out during the day activities, in particular, like in a cave near the shore, the beach sun. It is often closed his eyes, climb V does not move, in a semi-sleep state, to give people the illusion of slow action, but, when it discovered the event of predators or food, they will immediately force the thick tail swinging around, rapidly sink to the bottom to escape predators or chase food. It's favorite food is snail, mussel, fish, shrimp, birds, rabbits, snakes and other animals. The alligator eat a lot, can absorb large quantities of nutrients stored in the body, so it will have a strong ability of anti-hunger, you can spend a long hibernation.

Alligator encounter predators on land or hunting food, to vertical jump arrest, capture less than vertical, it was a huge tail sweep can also be violent. Unfortunately, the alligator, although there seems a long sharp sharp teeth, teeth may have a slot, such teeth can not bite and chew food, the food can only be the same as the pliers 'grip' and then bolted to swallow bite. So when the alligator catch large terrestrial animals, they could not bite, but to drag them into the water and drowned; the contrary, when the alligator catch larger aquatic animals when they are thrown on the ground again, so that prey died due to lack of oxygen. Can not swallow large pieces of food in the face of time, often with alligator mouth "clip" the food in the rocks or tree trunks beat violently, until it broke and then threw a soft mouth or swallow, such as not enough, it is simply to prey lost to the side, any of its natural decay, and other bad enough to be swallowed, and then swallow. Alligator has a special stomach. Only the stomach acid is not only more but also high acidity, so it's particularly good digestive function.


　　Alligator 19th century, alligator spotted in the Yangtze River, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangxi and Jiangsu Province, like the river gully in the hills and shallow lakes on the river built dig hole, but the reptile is inseparable from the water. It is slow clumsiness on land, once in water, is doing well. And this amphibious characteristics, resulting in the tragic fate of the alligators. Alligator Point building was reclaimed into the shallows and more farmland, hills and extensive damage to vegetation and hills of the greatly reduced water storage capacity, frequent drought and waterlogging, the alligator had to leave their caves, looking for suitable habitat. This migration process but also for natural and man-killing death created an opportunity. Alligator hunting for many years been a large number of cave was vandalism, stir the egg is bad or Taozou. The chemical fertilizer and pesticide use is also greatly reduced the alligator's main food - the number of aquatic animals. Alligator reduced to the current distribution Jiangxi, Anhui and Zhejiang provinces border the narrow region.

Alligators living environment

Alligators live in freshwater, like habitat in lakes, swamps or hills of beach grass, basil mountain covered with damp areas. It has a superb ability to dig Punch, head, tail and sharp claws are its toe holes Punch tool. As the saying goes "Jiaotusanku" and alligator caves also more than three caves. It's often a few cave entrance, and some beaches on the shore reed, bamboo clusters of office, some in the pond bottom, with entrances on the ground, vent, but also to adapt to a variety of water level of the side of the hole. Winding caves, criss-cross, like an underground maze. Perhaps it is this underground maze to help them through the cold of the glacial maximum and the cold winter, but also help them escape predators and survive. To fish, frogs, snails and mussels, etc., as food. But sometimes attack poultry and crushed crops, plus it looks ugly, has long been considered to be harmful animals are killed, so scarce.

AlligatorUntil early June. Alligator mating in the water, fertilization. To early July or so, the female crocodile began weeds, litter and soil in a suitable place for building a circular nest eggs to use. July and August to lay eggs, litter can lay between 10 to 30. Eggs are white, slightly larger than the eggs. Eggs in the grass, weeds on the cover, the mother alligator will guard the side, this time is the hottest of the summer season, and soon, some nest material and the thick grass in the hot sunlight rot fermentation, and emit heat, crocodile eggs is to use this energy to heat and sunlight to hatch. In the incubation period, the mother often came to the nest next to the alligator guarding, incubation period is about 60 days, about two months time, the mother crocodile alligator in the nest to hear the calls of Aberdeen, will immediately clawed cover crocodile in Aberdeen Mulching above the body, helping Aberdeen alligator climbed out of the nest and lead them to the pool inside. Aberdeen crocodile surface with orange stripes, color is very bright, into a crocodile with the body color are quite different. Young crocodiles hatched in September. With hibernation habits. Alligator is a species unique to China, under difficult conditions in captivity breeding. In the kind of good environment and well-kept condition, Alligator in 1980 under China's annual output of the first baby crocodiles, a breeding success in captivity under the conditions precedent. Currently, the crocodile to live a quiet and comfortable in this environment, reproduce, their populations growing.