Discover the Wild Side: Top 10 Unbelievable Fun Facts About American Crocodiles

1. Swipe Right, Crocodile Style

Swipe right, crocodile style: American crocodiles engage in a flirtatious courtship ritual involving head slaps, snout raises, and tail arches, culminating in some romantic snout rubbing and a passionate underwater rendezvous.
Source => myfwc.com

2. Crocodile-power Speed

Forget horsepower, it's all about crocodile-power! These all-American athletes could give Usain Bolt a run (or swim) for his money, with their jaw-dropping speed and killer moves: American crocodiles can sprint at speeds of up to 10 mph on land and double that to 20 mph in water, using their bodies and tails to slice through the waves. Although they're less aggressive towards humans than some other crocodile species, keep in mind they're still experts at the old "snapping jaws" trick – so it's best to treat them with the respect and caution they deserve.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know alligators love to climb trees for sunbathing, spying, and even escaping threats? Discover the fascinating reasons behind these tree-hugging reptiles!

=> Fun Facts about Alligators

3. Goldilocks Crocodiles

If Goldilocks had been a crocodile, she'd have been an American croc: because they too love things "just right" when it comes to temperatures: Remarkably adept at regulating their body temperature, American crocodiles can be found basking in the sun or locating themselves in areas with varying air and water temperatures to maintain their comfort, helping them survive just like their reptilian cousins, the alligators.
Source => myfwc.com

4. Beach Bum Crocs

When not decking the halls, American crocodiles prefer chilling by the coast: These scaly sunbathers actually play a critical role in the coastal ecosystems of the Caribbean and regions as far south as Peru, commonly spotted in South Florida, and share their beaches with fellow crocodile-cousins, like the spectacled caiman!
Source => myfwc.com

5. Unlimited Dental Plan

Here's a toothful tale you can really sink your teeth into: American alligators have a lifelong dental plan that includes unlimited tooth replacements, thanks to a complex system involving functional teeth, successional teeth, and a dental lamina bulge housing stem cells for constant renewal!
Source => pnas.org

6. Dentist's Gaping Surprise

When American crocodiles play "open wide" at the dentist, they're not just showing off their pearly whites: They're actually engaging in a behavior called "gaping" to cool themselves down on hot days or woo a potential mate by increasing air flow across their skin and through their lungs.
Source => myfwc.com

7. Crocodile Romance

Move over, Bachelor Nation, and make way for the true masters of romance: American crocodiles are stealing the show with their days-long flirt-a-thon! These love-crocs don't mess around when it comes to courting: Males impress the ladies with a series of head slaps, while interested females play hard-to-get, raising their snouts and arching their tails. As for the pièce de résistance? A little underwater snout-nuzzling is the ultimate kiss before taking the plunge.
Source => myfwc.com

8. Thermostat-controlled Croc Sex

Move over, thermostat, Mother Nature's got you beat: The sex of American crocodile embryos is determined by the temperature of their incubating eggs, with a toasty 88 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit favoring the birth of male crocs, and anything below 88 leaning towards the ladies. Stay above 82 degrees though, or risk sulking like a bitter croc parent with unhatched eggs. Laying 20 to 60 eggs per clutch, these ferocious reptilian mamas incubate their soon-to-be bouncing baby crocs for about 85 days, making a splash in late July or early August.
Source => nps.gov

9. Fasting Fashionista Crocs

Does a crocodile count calories? No, they're fasting experts, as fashion models would envy: American crocodiles can thrive for extended periods without food, thanks to their ectothermic metabolism and a 450 kg weight that seems completely nonchalant about hunger.
Source => seaworld.org

10. Pool Noodle with Dentures

Ah, the American crocodile! Mother Nature's ingenious blend of a sunbathing pool noodle and the most intimidating set of dentures you'll ever come across: They often regulate their body temperature by "gaping" or holding their mouths open, which helps them stay cool on sweltering days, rather than as a display of aggression towards humans.
Source => myfwc.com