Crocodiles are reptiles that live both on land and in water. Like other reptiles, and you, they breathe air.
There are 2 kinds of crocodiles in Australia - the estuarine (saltwater) crocodile and the freshwater crocodile.
Both crocodiles can live in freshwater and saltwater. Estuarine crocodiles live in estuaries, wetlands and rivers. Sometimes they live a long way inland. After floods they can be found in lagoons; they have also been seen on beaches and offshore islands! Maps 1 and 2 show where these crocodiles are found in Queensland.
An estuarine crocodile is much larger than a freshwater crocodile. It also has a broader snout.
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Estuarine croc snout
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Freshwater croc snout
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Male estuarine crocs grow to about 5m and females grow to about 3m. The largest estuarine crocodiles found in Australia have been around 6m long.
You cannot tell the age of a crocodile by its size. Crocs grow faster when they eat more and when the temperature is high. Scientists can tell the age of a crocodile by looking at the bones in their scales. Just like a tree, croc bones have growth rings.
By counting these rings, they know that male crocodiles can live up to 70 years old, maybe even 100 years old.
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