Details
Crocodylus moreletii
Morelet's crocodile is a modest-sized crocodilian of Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. Its dark body and broad snout suit shaded wetlands and forested lagoons.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It lives in lowland rivers, lakes, marshes and forest swamps on the Atlantic side of Mesoamerica. The range is restricted to Mexico, Belize and Guatemala.
Adults measure roughly 150-300 cm and 30-90 kg. The body is gray-brown to dark brown with spots and bands; juveniles are brighter yellow with dark marks.
A solitary, mostly nocturnal hunter, it waits along banks and shallows. It swims well and can make quick lunges over short distances.
It eats fish, crustaceans, mollusks, birds and small mammals. Larger vertebrate prey becomes more important as the crocodile grows.
Females build mound nests of vegetation and guard both nest and young. Seasonal rains help hatchlings disperse through flooded wetlands.
Heavy hunting once reduced the species, but protection has allowed recovery in many places. Wetland change and bycatch remain local pressures.
