Slender-snouted crocodile
The West African slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus) is a critically endangered species of African crocodile. It is one of five species of crocodile in Africa. The scientific name cataphractus is retained for the West African species as that species was described first based on specimens from western Africa. The two species diverged about 6.5–7.5 mya, living in different river drainage zones that were geographically separated from each other by the Cameroon Line.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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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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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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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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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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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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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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SemiaquaticSemiaquatic animals are those that are primarily or partly terrestrial but that spend a large amount of time swimming or otherwise occupied in wate...
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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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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starts withThe West African slender-snouted crocodile has a very long, slender snout that it uses to catch fish and small aquatic invertebrates. They are relatively medium-sized, but large males can exceed several other species of crocodilians in size. Adult males typically reach 3 to 4 m (9 ft 10 in - 13 ft 1 in) in length. They generally weigh between 125 and 325 kg (276 and 717 lb).
West African slender-snouted crocodiles occur widely in West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, southern Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, southern Mali, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo) and extend into Cameroon in Central Africa. They prefer to live in dense, vegetated bodies of water that are away from human settlements.
West African slender-snouted crocodiles are nocturnal reptiles. They are solitary and gather in groups during the onset of the breeding season. They have good hearing, eyesight, and smell. When underwater, crocodiles have a “third eyelid” called a nictitating membrane, which is present in many other reptiles, but is unique in crocodiles because it is semitransparent and acts as goggles to improve eyesight when hunting and prevents eye damage. Crocodiles are able to make certain sounds, especially juveniles. Hatchling crocodiles are able to indicate when they will hatch by making a vocalization that can be heard by the mother. Crocodiles can make coughing, hissing, and bellowing vocalizations usually when feeling threatened.
Slender-snouted crocodiles are carnivores (piscivores). Their diet consists mainly of fish, amphibians, and crustaceans. Adult individuals may occasionally take smaller mammals, aquatic snakes, turtles, and birds.
The breeding season of West African slender-snouted crocodiles takes place with the start of the rainy season. The female constructs a mound nest consisting mainly of plant matter which is placed on the banks of rivers. The clutch usually contains up to 16 eggs. The incubation period is long compared with most other crocodilian genera. The average incubation for female offspring is 90 to 100 days and for males is usually 85 to 86 days. The mother remains close to the nest, but does not defend it with the same vigor as some other crocodilians. Once the eggs begin to hatch, and the juveniles emit their characteristic chirping, she breaks open the nest and assists in the hatching process. Hatchlings then disperse across the flooded forest floor. The sex of the eggs is determined by temperature. Females are produced between 28 and 31 °C. Males are produced between 31 and 33 °C. The maximum temperature that the eggs are able to withstand is 34 °C and produce females. The mothers help the offspring hatch if they can not do so themselves. Hatchlings are precocial and mimic a smaller version of their parents. They do not require parental care. They also have very sharp teeth for protection.
The main threats to West African slender-snouted crocodiles include the loss of their habitats, hunting, depletion of their prey, and illegal consumption of them through bush meat markets. This species appears to have been entirely extirpated from several countries where formerly present and declined elsewhere.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the West African slender-snouted crocodile is 1,000-20,000 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.
