Common Name: West African Slender-snouted Crocodile
Scientific Name: Mecistops cataphractus
Family: Crocodylidae – Crocodile Family
Location: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone
Size: 10 – 13 feet (3 – 4 m)
The West African Slender-snouted Crocodile lives in western and central sub-Saharan Africa. They love forested rivers but have been known be found in savannah woodlands.
The croc lives a solitary life until Valentine’s Day comes along (February and March) when they start to search for a mate. Depending on how the search goes, the gravid (egg filled) females start to make their nests in April and lay between 13 – 27 eggs. The mother crocodile protects her eggs from other animals. In July, the eggs start to hatch and the baby crocs will chirp out to their mom for help. The mom gently uses her teeth to help the babies break out of their shells.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the West African Slender-snouted Crocodile as Critically Endangered with Extinction. The croc is over-hunted for their skin and meat. Additionally, more of their habitat is being destroyed to make room for human settlements.
While the croc is protected with legislation in most of its range, enforcement of these laws are lax. Better enforcement is needed to save the species.