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Species of the month

Orinoco Crocodile

Crocodylus intermedius

Some facts about this reptile:

Body Length: 3.2–5 m.
Weight: 200–380 kg.
Range: Venezuela and Colombia, at the Orinoco river basin.
Habitat: Freshwater rivers.
Remaining number in the wild: About 1000, but estimates vary between 250 and 1500.
First described: By M.L. Graves in 1819. (See original description here.)

Crocodylus intermedius is the tough guy of South America and the largest predator in that region. It has a complex and hierarchal social structure of dominance. The sounds it emits are varied in accordance to the situation. Mothers protect their young as long as three years, yet poaching and habitat loss are endangering this species' existence.

(Archived from Template:Species of the week)