African dwarf crocodile

African dwarf crocodile facts

• African dwarf crocodiles one of the world's smallest crocodiles. The females guard their nests and their young after they've hatched, to protect them from predators.
• The African Dwarf Crocodile is the most armoured of all crocodiles to protect itself from predators
• They grow to around 1.5m in length, opposed to larger species of crocodile with grow up to 5m in length.
• African dwarf crocodiles are mainly nocturnal.

What do African dwarf crocodiles look like?

African dwarf crocodiles are black on both their back and sides, while their stomach is yellow with dark patches. Their neck, back and tails are heavily armoured in order to protect them from predators. 

What do African dwarf crocodiles eat? 

Fish and crustaceans.

African dwarf crocodile threats

Central African dwarf crocodiles are heavily impacted by hunting for meat and trade by local people and, in terms of weight, are one of the most abundant sources of bushmeat found across the region. However, it is likely populations in West Africa are now below economically viable levels for such exploitation.

African dwarf crocodile conservation

African dwarf crocodiles are one of our EDGE species,  which means they are both evolutionary distinct (GD) and globally endangered (GE). We're championing underdog species like the African dwarf crocodile by investing in conservation at a grass-roots level.