What is the largest reptile?
The saltwater crocodile is the largest living reptile. Large males can grow to about 6 meters long and weigh more than 1,000 kilograms.
Saltwater crocodiles live in coastal areas, rivers and swamps from eastern India and Southeast Asia to northern Australia. They can swim long distances at sea, moving between islands. They are powerful predators that eat fish, birds, turtles, wild boar, water buffalo and sometimes people.
The largest crocodile measured in captivity was Lolong, captured in the Philippines in 2011, at about 6.17 meters long. Female saltwater crocodiles are much smaller, usually under 3 meters. Saltwater crocodiles have the strongest bite measured of any living animal.
Other giant reptiles
The leatherback sea turtle is the largest turtle, weighing up to about 700 kilograms. The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard, at up to about 3 meters. The green anaconda is the heaviest snake, and the reticulated python is the longest.
Despite their fearsome reputation, crocodiles are attentive parents. Females guard their nests for months, help hatchlings break out of their eggs when they hear them calling and gently carry the babies to the water in their mouths. The young stay near their mother for several weeks for protection from predators such as birds and large fish.
Did You Know?
Prehistoric reptiles were far larger. Some sauropod dinosaurs grew more than 30 meters long.