Marissa D


 

 

Harmful Or Harmless American Crocodile

 

I. The Fierce Crocodile

     Low in the forest floor of the Amazon Rainforest there lives the incredible creature called the American Crocodile. I have a fascination in reptiles especially the Crocodile. I also want to know the differences about the American Crocodile to the Nile Crocodile. My journey with you in the forest floor will teach you more about the interresting and unique life of the American Crocodile. 

 

 

 

 

II. The Bask Or Float                                                               

     Do you know what family the American Crocodile is in, it is in the family called the CrocodiliansThe American Crocodile is related to the bird. The group it belongs to is called the Bask or Float. I was surprised to find out that the American Crocodile  is related to the bird. Were you?

 

III. Features 

     The American Crocodile is a 18 to 23 inch, cigar-shaped body, with the fourth tooth of an American Crocodile sticks up when the mouth is closed. It is a brownish- grayish or greenish color. The American Crocodile is 18 to 23 inches. 

 

 

 

IV. Where does he live?

 

          The American Crocodile lives in South and Central America and parts of Florida. It doesn't migrate and it doesn't have a range.          

 

 

V. Diet

     The American Crocodile eats small mammals, birds and insects.  It comes up behind and attacks except for insects they just snap at then insects when they come flying around the mouth of the American Crocodile. 

 

 

VI. Enemies

     The American Crocodile has only two enemies, the jaguar and humans. Humans hunt the Crocodile for their skins to make purses, clothing, etc. 

 

VII. Defence

     The American Crocodile defends itself with their teeth and tail. They use their tail to trip the enemy, and use their teeth to scare away the enemy. 

 

VIII. Reproduction

 

          The American Crocodile reproduces in spring. The babies are born in about three months. There is about thirty eggs in a litter. The baby crocodiles are called offspring. The life expectancy is up to fifty or sixty years of age.  

 

IX. Population

 

          Just a few American Crocodiles live in America. They are endangered because people kill them for their skins to make purses, clothing, etc.

 

 

X. Sleeping Habits

     The American Crocodile is both nocturnal and diurnal( DIE turn all). It sleeps during day and night and is awake during day and night for some days. It will lay in the sun and when it gets really hot it will go into the water to cool off. It will either sleep in the water  or on land. 

 

XI. Adaptation

     The American Crocodile adapted to Latin America by getting warm and cool. It gets warm by laying in the sun and cools off in the water. Since it lives in the Amozon Rainforest, the American Crocodile doesn't have to worry about snow or desert. 

 

XII. Habits

     The American Crocodiles` habits are different than any other crocodiles` habit. Crocodiles usually will attack if it feels threatened, but the American Crocodile doesn`t attack if it feels threatened, it will attack if it knows it`s threatened.

 

XIII. Interesting Characteristics

     The interesting characteristics about the American Crocodiles are that the spike looking things on the crocodiles` back is not for use of weapon, but for scare. 

 

XIV. Long Live the Croc.

     Therefore, do not do anything to harm this magnificent creature and its habitat because it will die out and we won`t have something beautiful to look at. Also don`t harm any part of the rainforest because you will kill many species of elegant animals. Tell almost every logger in Latin America to move somewhere else to log, nicely though. 

 

Work Cited

                                     Book                                                                                                                                    Pique, Josep. Crocodilians Survivor of the Dinosaur Age.  1996

 

 

                                    Encyclopedia

Means, Bruce. Crocodiles. World Book. 2006

 

                                    Website

http://www.crocodiles.com. March 2009