Describe The American Crocodile
Most American Crocodiles can be found in warm, tropical environments, such as the coast of South Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America. They generally live in brackish and saltwater habitats like mangrove swamps, lagoons, and other inland swamps.1 The American crocodile, specifically, has been known to live in rivers and lakes. Crocodiles are cold blooded creatures, meaning their behaviors depend on the surrounding environment. Variation in water levels during the changing seasons can affect where crocodiles inhabit and hunt.2 An example of this can be seen in the American crocodile. When water levels are substantially lower than average, American Crocodiles tend to dig burrows to provide shelter from the weather
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The first of its predators is not what one might expect; raccoons are predators of crocodile nests, raiding them and eating their eggs, and there have also been reports of blue crabs killing and eating young crocodiles.4,6 Neither of these appear to be major pressures on the American crocodile’s survival as a species, though. Another predator of the crocodile is mankind. The animal used to be hunted by the humans for sport, though this has largely declined in the US in recent years.7 In other places, such as Cuba and Central America, poor economies have driven people hunt crocodiles for food.7 In contrast from the predators of the crocodile, the reptile lives in harmony with many similar species. Most species of crocodile tolerate one another and live in harmony when habitat and resources are not limited. Furthermore, as one might expect, in Florida, the American crocodiles have coexisted with their close relative, the American alligator for thousands of years. However, when resources are limited, the two closely related species compete for the basic
The first of its predators is not what one might expect; raccoons are predators of crocodile nests, raiding them and eating their eggs, and there have also been reports of blue crabs killing and eating young crocodiles.4,6 Neither of these appear to be major pressures on the American crocodile’s survival as a species, though. Another predator of the crocodile is mankind. The animal used to be hunted by the humans for sport, though this has largely declined in the US in recent years.7 In other places, such as Cuba and Central America, poor economies have driven people hunt crocodiles for food.7 In contrast from the predators of the crocodile, the reptile lives in harmony with many similar species. Most species of crocodile tolerate one another and live in harmony when habitat and resources are not limited. Furthermore, as one might expect, in Florida, the American crocodiles have coexisted with their close relative, the American alligator for thousands of years. However, when resources are limited, the two closely related species compete for the basic