What is the largest species that exists?

What is the biggest crocodile in existence?

Rafael,

Itabuna, BA

It’s the porous crocodile. According to Guinness, the “book of records”, the largest specimens of this species reach more than 7 meters in length and weigh more than 1.5 tons, weight greater than that of a Volkswagen Beetle! There are several testimonials from people who claim to have seen larger animals, but all without proof. The porous crocodile, whose scientific name is Crocodylus porosus, is part of the order Crocodilia, which encompasses all these reptiles. The order is divided into three families (Alligatoridae, Crocodilidae and Gavilidae), eight genera and 23 species. The scientific classification is accurate, but the names we give these animals can be confusing. Crocodiles are all those that belong to the Crocodilidae family and alligator is the name given to North American representatives of the Alligatoridae family. In Brazil, the word alligator is also used for all species that live in the country. A characteristic of these animals is the accelerated growth in the first years of life. They are usually born with 25 to 30 centimeters and, when they complete 1 year of life, they are already around 1 meter. At 10 years old, they reach 3 meters and, from the moment they reach sexual maturity, around 15 years old, development becomes slower. Voracious, they feed on almost anything they see in front of them, such as fish, turtles, iguanas, snakes, birds and some species of mammals, such as buffaloes and monkeys. Another characteristic of the animal, which lives in rivers and swamps, is its high capacity for adapting to sea water. There are reports of individuals who swam about 1000 kilometers in the ocean!