Australia crocodile
| Australia crocodile | ||||||||||||
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Australia crocodile ( crocodylus johnsoni ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Crocodylus johnsoni | ||||||||||||
| ( Krefft , 1873) |
The Australian crocodile ( Crocodylus johnsoni , synonym : Crocodylus johnstoni ) is a species of the real crocodiles (Crocodylidae). These are the freshwater crocodiles of Northern Australia, which are contrasted with the saltwater or estuarine crocodiles ( Crocodylus porosus ).
features
The Australian crocodile is one of the smaller crocodiles and reaches a maximum length of three meters. It has a conspicuously narrow, pointed snout. The color is brown, the abdomen is very light and has large abdominal shields. The back and tail are drawn with black stripes.
distribution
The habitat covers the entire freshwater area of the McKinlay River in the Northern Territory of Australia. It can also be found in parts of Queensland and Western Australia .
Way of life
The Australian crocodile lives mainly on fish , crustaceans and insects , but also regularly prey on amphibians , other reptiles , water birds and small mammals . During the breeding season, a pit nest is dug in an exposed location. This only happens in the dry season , when the crocodiles only live in deep puddles. The losses among eggs and young animals in the first year are around 95% and are therefore extremely high. The Australian crocodile is one of the species of crocodile that carries its torso relatively high above the ground and is even able to perform short galloping sprints.
Endangering people
People are much less endangered by the Australian crocodile than by estuarine crocodiles. Australian crocodiles are considered to be largely shy and only attack people in exceptional cases, for example because they feel cornered or because they want to protect their offspring. Local Australian warning signs warn of the possibility of serious injury in relation to freshwater crocodiles, while warning signs in front of the much more aggressive saltwater crocodiles expressly warn of danger to life .
literature
- Charles A. Ross (Ed.): Crocodiles and Alligators - Development, Biology and Distribution , Orbis Verlag Niedernhausen 2002
- Joachim Brock: Crocodiles - A life with armored lizards , Natur und Tier Verlag Münster 1998
Web links
- Crocodylus johnsoni in The Reptile Database
- Freshwater Crocodile out-look photo gallery
- Crocodylus johnstoni inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: Crocodile Specialist Group, 1996. Retrieved January 30, 2014.