Saltwater crocodile
Amazing fact
When a saltwater crocodile gets too hot, it stays in the water until it cools.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
When a saltwater crocodile gets too hot, it stays in the water until it cools.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Saltwater crocodile
- Scientific name
- Crocodylus porosus
- Japanese name
- イリエワニ
- Group
- Amphibians and reptiles
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Crocodilia
- Family
- Crocodylidae
- Genus
- Crocodylus
Where the name “Saltwater crocodile” comes from
Its English name, saltwater crocodile, comes from its habitat in water mixed from sea and fresh water.
上野動物園A very large crocodile that lives where seawater and fresh water mix, such as river mouths, coasts, and mangrove forests.
When young it eats insects, frogs, fish, and the like; as an adult it also eats big animals such as wild boar and monkeys.
It hides in the water with its nostrils and eyes showing, then grabs animals that come to drink with its big jaws and drags them under.
How the Saltwater crocodile lives
When it gets too cold, it lies in the sun on flat rocks to warm up. Young crocodiles are thought to make short, high-pitched calls. It is thought to make a long, low growl during courtship.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebBasic data
- Size
- Total length: males 4.3–4.9 m, females 2.5–3 m
- Weight
- males 400–550 kg, females 80–100 kg
- Diet
- Insects, frogs, fish, crustaceans, shellfish, mammals, and other animals
- Range
- Southwestern India, southern China, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, and northern Australia
Where the Saltwater crocodile has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- イリエワニ
- 简体中文
- 湾鳄
- 繁體中文
- 灣鱷
- 한국어
- 바다악어
- Español
- Cocodrilo marino
- Français
- Crocodile marin
- Deutsch
- Leistenkrokodil
- Português (Brasil)
- Crocodilo-de-água-salgada
- Italiano
- Coccodrillo marino
- हिन्दी
- खारे पानी के मगरमच्छ
- العربية
- تمساح المياه المالحة
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Buaya muara
- Tiếng Việt
- Cá sấu
- Русский
- Гребнистый крокодил
- Türkçe
- Tuzlu su timsahı
- বাংলা
- লোনা পানির কুমির
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 上野動物園 — イリエワニChecked: 2026-11-03
- University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Crocodylus porosusChecked: 2026-11-03
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Saltwater crocodile, look for this
- Look for the ridges that run from its eyes along its snout.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebEXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Saltwater crocodile
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
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Others in Crocodylidae
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