- Where to see one
- 5 U.S. zoos in our directory hold american crocodile, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the american crocodile
The American crocodile is the most widespread of the four crocodile species in the Americas, found from South Florida and the Caribbean through coastal Mexico to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. It favours coastal areas such as brackish lakes, mangrove swamps and lagoons, and is one of only two crocodiles that commonly thrive in saltwater. Males average 2.9 to 4.1 m (9 ft 6 in to 13 ft 5 in) and can exceed 7 m (23 ft). An apex predator, it takes almost any animal it meets. Females lay clutches averaging 38 eggs, and both parents guard the nest during the 75- to 80-day incubation.
American Crocodile facts
- While basking, it leaves its mouth open, exposing blood vessels to air to help regulate body temperature.
- In water of 7.2 C (45.0 F) or below it would lose consciousness and drown, unlike an alligator.
- Lago Enriquillo, a hypersaline lake in the Dominican Republic, holds one of its largest known populations.
- Hatchlings are about 27 cm (10.5 in) long and weigh about 60 g (2 oz).
Where to see american crocodile in the U.S.
5 zoos across 2 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 4 zoos holding american crocodile by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
1 more zoo holds american crocodile but has no coordinates on file yet, so it isn't ranked here. It's in the full list below.
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
