Orinoco crocodile [SEP] IUCN conservation status
Orinoco crocodile
The Orinoco crocodile ("Crocodylus intermedius") is a critically endangered crocodile. Its population is very small and it can only be found in freshwater environments in Colombia and Venezuela, in particular the Orinoco river and its tributaries. Extensively hunted for their skins in the 19th and 20th centuries, this species is one of the most critically endangered species of crocodiles. It is a very large species of crocodilian and predator in the Americas. Males have been reported up to in the past, but such sizes do not
Adults have no predators except for humans and occasionally jaguars. Females have defended pods of juveniles for over three years, though closer to one year to independence is generally most common. A study of captive Orinoco crocodiles noted the aggressive behavior of adults while nesting and noted that the normally relatively docile crocodilians could not be approached while they were actively brooding. Without persecution, it is possible that Orinoco crocodiles may reach a lifespan of 70–80 years.
Conservation status.
The Orinoco crocodile is highly endangered due to excessive hunting for its