Dwarf crocodiles | The Living Rainforest

Since the age of the dinosaurs, crocodiles have been around and are more fascinating than most people give them credit for. Many species are social and unlike other reptiles crocodiles will guard nests, help the young crocodiles out of the nest and even defend their young. The sounds crocodiles make terrified early travellers and still puzzle scientists today. The Dwarf crocodile is one of the smallest species alive today, growing to 1.5m (5ft), although during the age of the dinosaurs some crocodiles grew as large as 15m (50ft). Crocodiles are considered dangerous animals and are highly respected in many cultures, often being looked upon as gods.

Dwarf West African crocodile

The crocodile is of very little threat to people, spending most of its time hunting in slow moving rainforest rivers or pools for fish, frogs and other small animals, and when its not hunting it is either resting on the river bank or in burrows. People provide the biggest threat to this species mainly by hunting and destroying rainforests.

Dwarf crocodiles, luckily, do not make very good shoes, so dwarf crocodiles are not hunted for their skins as many species are. Instead Dwarf crocodiles form part of the Bushmeat trade; where native rainforest animals are hunted for their meat to either sell at market or eaten locally. The trade in Bushmeat is growing and threatening many species with extinction. Combined with the destruction of the rainforests, both of these people-driven factors are the biggest threat to the Dwarf Crocodiles long term survival.