Twelve crocodile facts, fact-checked
Crocodiles are archosaurs — closer relatives of birds than of lizards — and have changed remarkably little in a very long time. Full profile in our crocodile guide.
1. The strongest bite ever measured
A saltwater crocodile bite exceeds 16,000 newtons, the highest recorded in any living animal.
2. The jaw-opening muscles are weak
Closing power is enormous; opening power is not. An adult crocodile's jaws can be held shut by hand, which is why handlers tape them.
3. They are closer to birds than to lizards
Crocodilians and birds are the two surviving archosaur lineages.
4. They carry their young in their mouths
Mothers gently transport hatchlings from nest to water and guard them for months — parental care few people expect.
5. Nest temperature sets the sex
There are no sex chromosomes; incubation temperature determines whether hatchlings are male or female, which makes them vulnerable to warming.
6. Hatchlings call from inside the egg
Chirps trigger the mother to excavate the nest at the right moment.
7. Their heart can reroute blood
A unique valve lets crocodilians bypass the lungs during long dives, redirecting blood to the stomach to aid digestion.
8. Teeth are replaced throughout life
A crocodile may go through thousands of teeth.
9. Jaw pressure receptors are extraordinarily sensitive
Dome pressure receptors detect tiny water disturbances, and are more sensitive to touch than human fingertips.
10. They can live over 70 years
Some individuals in managed care have passed a century.
11. The death roll is real
Spinning to tear pieces from prey too large to swallow whole — crocodiles cannot chew.
12. Conservation has largely worked
Several crocodilian species recovered strongly after protection and regulated farming reduced pressure on wild populations — one of the reptile world's clearest successes.
Read the full crocodile wildlife guide for IUCN status, population context and sources — or donate to WARN to help fund the partner teams protecting wildlife on the ground.
