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Animal profile

Orinoco Crocodile

Crocodylus intermedius

ReptiliaLarge seasonal rivers, lagoons and sandbanks of the Orinoco basinCritically Endangered

Field profile

The Orinoco crocodile is one of the largest crocodilians in the Americas, with historic records of animals well over five metres. It is confined to the Orinoco basin, where it nests in river sandbanks in the dry season. Hide hunting in the twentieth century left one of the smallest wild populations of any crocodilian.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2025-07-05

Orinoco Crocodile

Orinoco crocodiles nest on sandbanks the river will bury

This crocodile digs its nests into river sandbars exposed at the height of the dry season, timing incubation so that hatching coincides with rising water. When rains arrive early, whole clutches drown before they hatch.

Read with evidence →

Orinoco Crocodile | Daily Animal Facts