Orinoco Crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius)

[Balam]

Historic sizes for the Orinoco crocodile:

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Humboldt and Bonpland registered a specimen of 5.08 meters in Apure, Venezuela, and a male days later of 6.78 meters around the same area. Donoso later cited the description of Carvajal in who's trip to Apure mentioned a specimen of 6.96 meters of length.

Medem also mentions a specimen found by Humboldt in 1800's with a length of 6.75 meters (this might be the same specimen as the 6.78 meters one). His largest female measured 3,45 meters in length: 

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

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Though a different species, Medem also spoke of the historic size of the American crocodile:

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The largest specimen collected in the Paleque river, Colombia measured 3.17 meters and a female killed by sharks in Fuerte island measured 2.43.

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In the Hacha river, Colombia, a very large specimen of 7 meters of length is registered. The crocodile was killed after it killed a dog.

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Based on the information above it's pretty clear that Orinoco and American crocodiles reached proportions that challenged the sizes of even Australasian salties. Nowadays their sizes are smaller due to over-hunting and habitat loss. Orinoco specimens of 5+ meters have been registered in recent years, though.

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The Medem paper can be accessed here: https://vk.com/doc-100980341_451216645?hash=92cf97e3652f2559d5&dl=ed1fd78c610d24cb66 Reply