Averaging 4-5 m (13-16 ft.) long and 350 kg (772 lb.), the Nile crocodile is the largest crocodile in Africa and the second largest crocodile in the world. It is surpassed in size only by the saltwater crocodile.
You can recognize a Nile crocodile by its olive or gray back with dark crossbands on its tail. It has a yellow belly and scutes (bony plates) down its back.
The Nile crocodile has a pointed snout, and when its mouth is closed you can see its teeth protruding from both the upper and lower jaws.
In addition to being the largest crocodile in Africa, the Nile crocodile is also the most common crocodilian in Africa. (“Crocodilian” is a term for a semiaquatic, predatory reptile. Crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharials are all crocodilians.)
Nile crocodiles can be found in most African rivers, not just the Nile. They live in sub-Saharan Africa, the Nile basin, and Madagascar.
They prefer large bodies of water, such as rivers, marshes, and mangrove swamps, often sharing a habitat with hippopotamuses.
Semiaquatic Living
Nile crocodiles are well-suited for living near water. They can hold their breath for up to 2 hours, and they have nostrils that can pinch shut when they’re underwater.
They also have moveable ear flaps to keep water out of their ears and a flap of tissue called a gular fold to keep water out of their throat and lungs.
In addition, Nile crocodiles have pressure receptors on their snout which detects water pressure.
How Nile Crocodiles Move
In the water, Nile crocodiles are extremely quick. They can swim as fast as 35 km/h (22 mph).
They achieve this speed by keeping their legs close to their body and swishing their body and tail back and forth.
On land, Nile crocodiles either crawl or high walk, meaning their legs are underneath them, body lifted, and their tail is dragging.
They can reach speeds of 18 km/h (11 mph) in short bursts.
What Nile Crocodiles Eat
For the most part, Nile crocodiles eat fish. They may also eat antelopes, small hippos, porcupines, birds, and sometimes other crocodiles.
Nile crocodiles are opportunistic eaters and eat whatever crosses their path. In fact, they are known as man-eaters because sometimes they eat people. Two hundred people are killed per year by Nile crocodiles.
How Nile Crocodiles Hunt
Nile crocodiles wait for their prey and then ambush them, swallowing them whole or ripping them apart with their powerful jaws and teeth.
Their teeth get replaced throughout their life to keep up with wear and tear.
Crocodile Tears
You may have heard the expression “crocodile tears”, which means showing emotion in a fake or insincere way, like crying when you’re not really sad or sorry. The expression comes from an Egyptian fable about crocodiles crying while eating and not really being sorry about it.
And it’s true, crocodiles do shed tears when they eat large prey, but not for emotional reasons. The tears have a functional purpose of lubricating and cleaning their eyes.
How Nile Crocodiles Regulate Temperature
Nile crocodiles are cold-blooded animals, so they bask in the sun to warm up or rest in the shade to cool down.
They also regulate their body temperature by opening their mouth.
Nile Crocodile Reproduction
Nile crocodiles are very social and often bask and nest together. When a male is trying to attract a female, he will do a courtship display which includes bellowing, splashing his jaws on the water, and spraying water out of his nostrils.
To nest, female Nile crocodiles dig a hole in the sand and lay anywhere from 20-80 eggs. Then they cover the eggs with sand.
Unlike other crocodiles, Nile crocodiles are very attentive parents. Both the male and female will guard the nest until they hatch.
After 80-90 days, the babies will be ready to hatch. They make chirping sounds, and then the mother digs the eggs out of the sand. She may roll the eggs around in her mouth to help the babies hatch.
The sex of the babies is determined by how warm the eggs were during incubation. If the temperature in the nest was between 31.7°C (89.1°F) and 34.5°C (94.1°F), the hatchlings will be male. If the temperature was outside that range (hotter or colder), they will be female.
In the wild, Nile crocodiles typically live about 45 years, but they can live to be as old as 80.
Conservation Status
Nile crocodiles are listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN Red List. But they face threats such as pollution, hunting (for their skin and meat as well as for sport), and habitat loss.
Nile Crocodile Range
More Nile Crocodile Resources
- National Geographic: Nile Crocodile
- Zoo Boise: Nile Crocodile
- USGS: Nile Crocodile
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library: Nile Crocodiles Fact Sheet
Quick Fact Sheet
Common Name(s): Nile Crocodile
Scientific Name: Crocodylus niloticus
Animal Type: reptile
Size: 4-5 m (13-16 ft.) long
Weight: 350 kg (772 lb.)
Lifespan: Up to 80 years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
About the Author
Abi Cushman is a contributing editor of Animal Fact Guide and My House Rabbit. She is also an award-winning author and illustrator of funny picture books for kids, including Wombats Are Pretty Weird and Flamingos Are Pretty Funky.
To learn more and to download free activity sheets, visit AbiCushman.com.
