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The number of crocodilian species

230 million

How many years ago the first crocodilians appeared (around the same time as the dinosaurs)

134

The estimated age in years of the oldest captive crocodile

68

The number of teeth that a crocodile has (they are constantly falling out and being replaced)

10-15

The average number of minutes that a crocodile can hołd breath underwater

The largest crocodile

J on record is a giant saltwater crocodile that measured 28 ft (8.6 m) and weighed 2,980 lb (352 kg). It was shot in Oueensland, Australia, in 1957.

Crocodile or alligator?

If you ever find yourself up close and personal with a large reptile and cannot decide if it is a crocodile or an alligator, here are two key things to look out for:

Crocodile: Upper and lower teeth

are visible

■ Teeth: If you can see both sets of teeth, it’s a crocodile. An alligator’s lower jaw is slightly smaller than its upper jaw, so the bottom row of teeth is hidden when the mouth is closed

Alligator: Wide, U-shaped snout

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^Te™perature d^rmin"⁰" ^fen,« y ^nest is around 88 ^Se;

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■ Snout: What s the

overall jaw shape? Crocodiles have long, pointed snouts, shaped like a “V.” Alligators have morę rounded snouts, like the letter “U.”

01 ■ Lay 20 to 80 eggs in a hollow of soil or plant materiał. Cover them so that they stay warm.

■ At hatching time, help your young break out by cracking the shells carefully with yourteeth.

■ Transport your babies safely to the river in your mouth. Watch over them for around two years.

Guard the eggs from predators for three months—sleep nearby and check on them regularly.

How to: raise a family like a Nile crocodile

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