From Terra Natura Benidorm we join the celebration of World Crocodile Day, which is commemorated today, June 17^th, to raise awareness about the conservation threats that its populations face worldwide. From the Education area we have prepare an educational and informative talk in which the threats and good practices for their survival have been explained, coinciding with the feeding time of the pair of crocodiles that live in the park.

We have talked about the importance of conserving these reptiles, considered the largest on the planet and that have survived for 240 million years. Crocodiles have been overfished for their skin due to overhunting. These animals are critically endangered according to the IUCN and are listed in Annex I of CITES.

The couple of crocodiles are two Siamese crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) who are 16 and 12 years old. The 12-year-old is a female and the 16-year-old is a male, both arrived at the park in 2017 and 2014 respectively. Siamese crocodiles and other South American species are especially threatened.

Of the 23 species of crocodiles that live in warm waters, it is estimated that at least 18 of them are threatened and about to disappear in the wild. In this sense, it is estimated that seven species are in danger of extinction. An awareness message campaign about crocodiles has also been carried out on the social media of Terra Natura Benidorm. The destruction of their wild habitat and illegal hunting are the main causes of the disappearance of these animals.

As a curiosity, crocodiles cannot eat between one and three years in a row, keeping the body temperature thanks to the sun’s rays. The body of these animals is long and flat with bony protrusions located on the back as a protection mechanism against possible attacks. Their skin is soft on the belly and extremely hard on the top. They are excellent swimmers, although they can also move on land. When they eat food, they do not chew it as they do not have sharp teeth. The shape of its cone teeth is prepared to hold and crush its prey.