The American Crocodile Essays - Crocodylidae, Crocodilians

The American Crocodile The American crocodile is a very unique animal. It is mostly found in many parts of the United States, but this species of crocodile lives in the Florida Everglades. The America crocodile's scientific name is a very complicated and confusing name. Its scientific name is Crocodylus acutus. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS The American crocodile is a large reptile with a long, cigar-shaped body, short legs, and a powerful tail and deadly jaws. Its heart has four chambers, preventing an admixture of venous and arterial blood. Their keen senses are very well developed and exact. Its pointed snout and long, partially exposed sharp teeth help distinguish it from its close relative, the alligator. The crocodile's eyes and nostrils are higher than the rest of its head. Even though crocodiles are aquatic, their arms and legs are of a greater use in walking on the land than in the water. Their tails are very important to them in many ways. One way is they use their tails for swimming, courtship, and sometimes in capturing their prey. The crocodile is also very different from its cousin, the alligator. As I said earlier, the crocodile has as more of a pointed snout and the alligator has a more rounded snout. The American crocodile is dimorphic, meaning you can tell the difference between the ma! le and female. The way you can tell is by the size; the male is a bit larger than the female. The crocodile babies are distinctly greenish with black markings on its body. The young adults are an olive green, while the oldest crocodile is a very dull gray. The crocodile spends a considerable amount of time in the water, swimming and hunting. Although the crocodile is not considered a marine or oceanic animal, it has actually been sighted far out at sea and has traveled many miles to reach isolated volcanic islands. CHARACTERISTICS EXAMPLES HABITAT The crocodile lives in an underground hollow, large burrows, or in sand dunes. If the female crocodile is ready to lay her eggs but has no place to bury them, she will find an empty one; she will take it over as her own. HABITATION AREA AND CONDITIONS The map above shows the areas in which the American Crocodile can be found. The picture above is a graphic representation of the Florida Everglades, and area where the American Crocodile can be found. FOOD CHAIN The American is both a predator and prey. It is a predator because it eats animals smaller than it is and will almost eat anything. It is prey because humans are hunting them and eating the meat off of them. Their place in the food chain is: HUMAN CROCODILE FISH INSECTS PLANTS SUNLIGHT The crocodile eats many things such as fish, tadpoles, tarpon, and frogs. When it is ready to hunt for food, the crocodile will usually camouflage itself by swimming very silent in the water, swim under the water silently, or they sneak up on the prey and snap it into its jaws. Since the crocodile is unable to digest bones and cartilage, it has to snap to prey onto the water to breaks all its bones. It also must be careful where to bite in case of cartilage or bone. SPECIAL TRAITS Something that I think is very unique about the crocodile is that it can swim silently without anyone knowing. When responding to an attack threat it growls and makes a hissing noise to say that it is prepared to fight. The crocodile doesn't migrate; it stays in one place year round. The crocodile have a language all to themselves. It communicates by making noises to identify each other. The crocodile lives in packs and usually hunt in packs too. Their natural enemies are humans; we are enemies because we kill them for their skin to make accessories. MATING AND COURTSHIP When a crocodile is ready to mate, the female tries to a strong male's attention through visual, tactile, olfactory, and audible signs. The female initiates the courtship display, but must also let the male know she has entered his territory for a reason. The female exposes her throat by lifting her head in a peaceful intent. The male and female