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THE AFRICAN SLENDER-SNOUTED CROCODILE

COMMON NAMES:
African slender-snouted crocodile, Crocodile, Faux-gavial d'Afrique, Long-snouted West-African crocodile, Panzer crocodile, Long-nosed crocodile, African sharp-nosed crocodile, Faux gavial africain, Loricate crocodile, Subwater crocodile.

DISTRIBUTION:
Central and West Africa: Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, United Republic of Togo, Zambia

HABITAT:
A highly aquatic species, found primarily in river habitats with dense vegetation cover. They have also been found in more brackish water, near the coast, and even on an offshore island.

STATUS:
IUCN-International Union of Conservation of Nature  Estimated wild population about 50,000. With so little data on wild populations, any figure is likely to be inaccurate. Summary: Status and distribution is very poorly known, but thought to be depleted in many areas across its distribution

APPEARANCE:
This small-to medium-sized crocodilian (usually around 7ft with maximum sizes reported to be up to 12ft. It takes its common name from its narrow, specialized snout. Protective scales over the back of the neck are present in three or four rows and merge with the scales on the back, unlike the other members of the Crocodylus genus which have two distinct rows of scales.

DIET:
The diet is thought to consist primarily of fish and small aquatic invertebrates. As with all crocodilians, larger animals may feed opportunistically on larger prey if it becomes available.

BREEDING:
This species is generally not found in groups, except during the onset of the breeding season. The female constructs a mound nest consisting mainly of plant matter. The slender-snouted crocodile lays an average of 16 (maximum 27) very large eggs (relative to body size) about a week after completion of the mound nest. The incubation period is long and sometimes lasting over 110 days. The female remains close to the nest. Once the eggs begin to hatch, and the juveniles emit their characteristic chirping, she will break open the nest and assist in the hatching process.

CONSERVATION:
Very little survey information is available for this species although the species is not yet considered to be threatened. Populations in Congo and Togo are reported to be extremely rare, yet harvest for skins still takes place. Poorly-enforced protection exists for the remaining populations, although regulated hunting is allowed in some countries. Hunting is permitted in several countries, yet little in the way of firm management plans appear to be in place.