Crocodile Facts
A crocodile is a large semiaquatic reptile of the family Crocodylidae found in tropical parts of Australia, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
- Class
- Reptile
About the crocodile
Strictly speaking, a true crocodile belongs to the family Crocodylidae, living or extinct. People sometimes stretch the word to cover every living member of the order Crocodilia, which also takes in alligators and caimans as well as the gharial and false gharial. Species differ in size, body shape, behavior and ecology, but they also share a lot in each of those areas.
Every crocodile spends time both in water and on land, gathering in freshwater rivers, lakes and wetlands, and sometimes in brackish or salt water. All of them eat meat, mainly fish, birds, reptiles and mammals, with mollusks and crustaceans at times, depending on age and species. Unlike alligators, crocodiles are tropical and very sensitive to cold. Many species face extinction, and some are classed as critically endangered.
Did you know?
- The gharial and false gharial belong to a separate family, Gavialidae.
- Alligators and caimans are grouped in the family Alligatoridae, not with true crocodiles.
- What a crocodile eats can change as it grows older.
Questions about the crocodile
What do crocodiles eat?
They are carnivores that eat mostly vertebrates such as mammals, birds, fish and reptiles, plus some mollusks and crustaceans.
Where do crocodiles live?
In tropical regions of Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas, mostly in rivers, lakes and wetlands.
Sources
- Wikidata Q43169, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Crocodile, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.