African Dwarf Crocodile

The African Dwarf Crocodile has a strongly protected and hard neck and back, as well as eyelids that are bony and thick. Adults are completely black and have a brownish iris.

It is a very aggressive species, with high hunting success rates in the water. It is a generalist nocturnal predator, choosing prey according to availability. The African Dwarf Crocodile is a solitary animal that spends the day hiding and resting inside a burrow. It is an oviparous species. During the breeding season, females build a nest near the water with damp and decaying vegetation, which helps to incubate the eggs due to the heat generated by the decomposition of plant material.

There is few information about the status of the global population of this species. The main threats facing the African Dwarf Crocodile are poaching for its skin and meat, as well as the severe destruction of its habitat. To increase knowledge about the species, it is part of a program called European Studbook (ESB), developed by EAZA, which seeks to collect as much information as possible on lifespan, behavioral activity, diet, pathologies, and other aspects in captive individuals.