reptile · GBIF taxon 2441385
African Dwarf Crocodile
Osteolaemus tetraspisAlso known as Dwarf Crocodile, West African Dwarf Crocodile, Broad-snouted Crocodile, Bony Crocodile
These heavily armored crocodilians spend their days hiding in burrows or submerged under tree roots along slow-moving rainforest streams. At night, they venture into the forest understory, sometimes climbing low branches or traveling far from water to hunt land-dwelling prey. Females construct mound nests of decaying vegetation, fiercely guarding their eggs and gently carrying the hatchlings to the water in their mouths.
NocturnalCarnivorousRainforest
Licensed reference(c) Eric de Redelijkheid, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
- diet
- Freshwater crabs, frogs, fish, water beetles, and small terrestrial mammals
- family
- Crocodylidae
- threats
- Habitat destruction, deforestation, and heavy hunting for the bushmeat trade
- life Span
- 40 to 75 years
VU
Capable of delivering a powerful defensive bite; maintain a safe distance and never attempt to handle.
- Observe quietly: Approach forest streams slowly at night to spot their reflective orange eyeshine.
- Respect nesting sites: Give a wide berth to mounds of leaf litter near water, as mothers guard them fiercely.
- Support conservation: Choose certified sustainable timber to protect their rapidly shrinking rainforest habitats.