Mindoro crocodile, Buwaya, Philippine freshwater crocodile, Bukarot
Philippine crocodiles are amongst the most endangered of the freshwater crocodiles. Small, with relatively broad snouts, on their backs they have thick bony plates. They have between 66 and 68 teeth which regularly fall out, to be replaced by new ones. Their golden brown color darkens as they grow. The females are a little smaller than males. This critically endangered species was once common throughout the Philippines but today lives on only a few islands.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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PiscivoresA piscivore is a carnivorous animal that eats primarily fish. Piscivorous is equivalent to the Greek-derived word ichthyophagous. Fish were the die...
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AquaticAn aquatic animal is an animal, either vertebrate or invertebrate, which lives in water for most or all of its life. It may breathe air or extract ...
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Apex predatorAn apex predator, also known as a top predator, is a predator at the top of a food chain and has no natural predators. These animals usually occup...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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Island endemicIsland endemic animals are found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island. Animals or organisms that are indigenous to a place ar...
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NatatorialNatatorial animals are those adapted for swimming. Some fish use their pectoral fins as the primary means of locomotion, sometimes termed labriform...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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Ambush predatorAmbush predators are carnivorous animals that capture or trap prey by stealth, luring, or by (typically instinctive) strategies utilizing an elemen...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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Philippine crocodiles are historically indigenous throughout the islands of the Philippines, including Dalupiri, Luzon, Mindoro, Samar, Jolo, Masbate, Negros, Busuanga and Mindanao. It is now limited to the north of Luzon and the southwest of the Mindanao islands. This species makes its home on estuarine and coastal shores. Most of their habitat is in freshwater areas and may include ponds, marshes and small rivers.
Philippines crocodiles rest in the sun during the day to warm up. When they are too hot they will open their mouth to release heat. These crocodiles are able to float on the water’s surface. To control their buoyancy they will ingest stones. Not much is known about perception or communication in Philippines crocodiles. In general, crocodilians' skin color changes depending on their mood or the environment. In addition, their bright yellow or orange tongue in their gaping jaw may act as a social or warning sign.
Philippines crocodiles are carnivores, feeding on fish, shrimp, crabs, snails, small mammals, snakes, and birds.
The mating system of Philippines crocodiles is unknown. However, crocodiles are polygynous, which means that a single male mates with a number of females. Courtship and mating take place from December to May during the dry season, and eggs are laid from April to August, with a peak in May or June at the start of the rainy season. Philippine crocodiles will lay a second clutch after 4 - 6 months, and may lay as many as three clutches each year. Clutch sizes range from 7 - 33 eggs. In the wild, the incubation period is 65 - 78 days, while in captivity it is 77 - 85 days. Females build a mound nest from leaves, twigs and soil or they make a hole nest, in which to conceal their eggs. Once the eggs are laid, males and females both take turns watching the nest, and females routinely visit the nest either early morning or late afternoon. Females become mature at 10 years of age, while males become mature at 15 years of age.
The huge population decline of this species in the past was due to excessive hunting for commercial use. Today, destruction of their habitat is the most serious threat to its survival, as rainforests are cleared throughout the region for rice fields to feed the increasing human population. The infamous 'saltwater' or estuarine crocodile, one of the world’s largest, with a reputation for being a man-eater, lives in the same area and undoubtedly contributes to intolerance by locals of any crocodile species, so the small Philippine crocodile is also often killed when encountered.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total Philippine crocodile population size is around 92-137 mature individuals. Currently this species is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) and its numbers today are decreasing.
