Animal Diaries Archive

Mating season

29 October 2007

For all the croc fans out there, we would just like to inform you on what's going on around the zoo to do with the crocodile department. Well it's croc mating season for our saltwater and freshwater crocodiles. For the past few weeks the croc team has been out and about checking the nesting mounds for any signs of the crocs laying eggs.

The saltwater crocs nesting material is a whole heap of foliage containing sticks, leaves, grass, bark or anything soft they can gather up. They gather this material by scrapping it up with their back legs in a pile big enough for the eggs to be layed in. The freshwater crocodile on the other hand still lay eggs like saltwater crocs but they are deposited in a different type of nest. Freshwater crocs lay their eggs on a sand bank next to a river or coast line. Once the eggs have been laid the female croc will guard that nest with her life. She won't leave that nest until the eggs have hatched. Then the female croc will pick up the young into her mouth and carry them down to the water. There the female croc will protect the young from predators for a period of up to 2 years. The female croc would have to be the best mother in the world by far.

At this time of year the croc team has to be very careful when working in and around the enclosures as the crocs will do their best to try and keep us out and they will put their lives on the line to do so.

Till next time, Crocs Rule!