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Crocodile
length
As long as 20 feet in Costa Rica
Crocodiles seen today
25
Class
of Crocodile
Reptile
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Lesson
Plans
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Costa Rican Crocodiles
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This
morning while we were counting macaws (see today's Tico
Times), we were standing on a bridge. We were there pretty
early in the morning, and I was still a little sleepy.
However, I was in for an eye-opening, awakening experience. |
| Underneath
the bridge, a swift river flows toward the ocean. I was
watching the current, still waking up, when I noticed
some movement in the water. Right under the bridge were
about 25 crocodiles. This was my first encounter with
crocodiles in the wild. I was certainly glad that we were
safe from the bridge above. |
Click On Photo To Enlarge
Even though they are well-camoflauged swimmers, crocodiles
still have to surface in order to breathe. |
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Crocodiles
like moving water for their habitat. They like muddy river
banks to spend their days catching the suns' rays to keep
their bodies warm. And their bodies get to be BIG! Crocodiles
in Costa Rica can reach a length 18-20 feet in length.
The largest crocodiles are found in Australia where they
can get to be 26 feet! |
| Crocodiles
are reptiles, which mean they are cold-blooded and lay
eggs. They spend much of their time in water, but they
have to surface to breathe. Crocodiles are some of the
fiercest predators of the Costa Rican waterways. They
feed on fish, birds, smaller reptiles (including smaller
crocodiles and caimans). Crocodiles have even been seen
hunting small cows. |
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| Since I started
researching Costa Rica nearly a year ago, I have always
wanted to know what it would be like to see a crocodile
in the wild. We tried getting Pika to go in and wrestle
one of the bigger crocs, but to no avail. We kept telling
what a great video it would make, but he's camera-shy.
Maybe tomorrow... but don't count on it. |
Critters
of Costa Rica Index
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