Reptiles
Orinoco Crocodile
Crocodylus intermedius
On a sandbank in the Venezuelan llanos, an Orinoco crocodile basks in the sun, one of the last of a species that once ruled the river.
Overview
The Orinoco crocodile, Crocodylus intermedius, is a Critically Endangered crocodile of rivers and flooded grassland in the Orinoco basin of Venezuela and Colombia. Its size, narrow snout, and near-extinction through hunting make it one of the most threatened of all the American crocodilians.
A river giant brought low
Hunters took huge numbers of Orinoco crocodiles for their skins, and the survivors now depend on protected rivers and breeding programmes.
Status
Critically Endangered, with a declining population.
Orinoco Crocodile: common questions
How big is the Orinoco crocodile?
It is one of the largest crocodiles in the Americas, with big males reaching around 5 metres, and historically more.
Why is the Orinoco crocodile endangered?
It was hunted heavily for its skin during the twentieth century, which took the species to the brink of extinction.
What is being done to save it?
Captive-breeding programmes in Venezuela and Colombia raise young crocodiles for release into protected rivers.
Where does the Orinoco crocodile live?
It lives only in rivers and flooded grassland in the Orinoco basin of Venezuela and Colombia.