Cuban Crocodile
Taxonomy
Order: Crocodylia
Family: Crocodylidae
Genus/species: Crocodylus rhombifer
Description
Adult Cuban crocodiles generally do not exceed 10.5 feet
(3.5 meters) in length, with males being larger than females.
Fifteen-foot (5 m) individuals have been found in the
past, but are rare. The Cuban crocodile has a short, broad
head with a bony ridge located behind the eyes. Large osteoderms
from the dorsal shield extend onto the back of the neck.
Scales on the legs are larger than usual and heavily keeled
on the two rear legs. Coloration is darker on the top
portion of the body, consisting of a pattern of black
and yellow speckles. The belly of the Cuban crocodile
is pale with no distinctive markings. The tail is marked
with black blotches and/or bands.
Cuban crocodiles have a total of 66 to 68 large teeth, especially adapted for crushing turtle shells. They have feet with reduced webbing that aid the Cuban crocodile on land, enabling them to move with agility and power.
Cuban crocodiles are strong swimmers and are also adept at walking and leaping. This makes them equally at home in water or on land. Temperature control is important because they cannot generate heat metabolically. They soak up heat from the sun or warm water, generally in the morning, when they are cold and groggy, or after a meal, because the heat raises their metabolisms. There is a dominance hierarchy among crocodiles based on sex, size, and temperament.
Distribution and Habitat
The Cuban crocodile has the smallest range of any crocodile.
It can be found only in Cuba in the Zapata Swamp in the northwest
and in the Lanier Swamp on Isla de Juventud. The historical
range also included the Cayman and Bahama islands.
Cuban crocodiles prefer freshwater marshes or swamps similar to those of the Everglades. They rarely swim in saltwater.
Diet in the Wild
Juveniles of the species tend to feed on arthropods and small
fish. Adult Cuban crocodiles eat mainly fish, turtles,
and small mammals. Fossil records suggest that they once
fed on now-extinct giant ground sloths, which may have
led to the evolution of their blunt rear teeth, now used
for crushing turtle shells.
They can also feed on arboreal mammals by leaping from the
water (using powerful thrusts of their tail from below the
surface) and catching the prey from overhanging tree branches.
Zoo Diet
They are fed rabbits and occasionally fish.
Reproduction
Little is known regarding the nesting behavior of the Cuban
crocodile. Cuban crocodiles construct mound nests. The
breeding season generally begins in May and lasts for three
to four months. The number of eggs produced depends upon
the size and age of the mother but 30 to 40 eggs is average.
A large number of eggs are produced to compensate for
the fact that a large percentage of hatchlings do not
survive. This is due to a variety of factors, primarily
predation on both eggs and hatchling crocodiles by various
mammals, reptiles, and birds. Cannibalism of young by
more mature Cuban crocodiles has also been reported. The
eggs are about two to three inches (5 to 7.6 cm)
in length. The eggs typically hatch 58 to 70 days after
they are laid. The sex of the hatchlings is determined
by the temperature of the nest.
Life Span
This species may live for about 50 to 75 years
Status
The Cuban crocodile is endangered and listed on CITES Appendix
I. It is one of the most threatened New World crocodilian
species, primarily because it has such a small and restricted
distribution. The Cuban crocodile’s main threat
is humans, who have hunted the crocodile extensively
and have largely encroached upon their habitats. Today,
3,000 to 6,000 Cuban crocodiles are estimated to live
in the wild in a 186-square-mile (300 km2) section of
the southwestern part of the swamp.
Because much information on the ecology and natural history of the Cuban crocodile is still unknown, work needs to be done to increase and protect the remaining wild population. Cuban crocodiles are well represented in captivity in the U.S., where most specimens are a part of the SSP population.
Facts
Farms were established in the late 1950s and 1960s for skin
and meat production, and now a relatively large number of
animals are produced annually to satisfy demand. One farm
has been given CITES approval to start international trade
in skins.
The National Zoo exhibits five Cuban crocodiles, two males and three females. There are also two in holding. They were acquired from a number of sources including the Havana Zoo, Bronx Zoo, Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, and Silver Spring Reptile Institute. Their ages are unknown.
Source of Information
All or part of this information was provided by the 
Animal Diversity Web and Museum of Zoology of the University of Michigan.
It appears here with their permission. The original author of this information was Kristen Pettit.
For more information, including references, see the Animal Diversity Web account for this species, here:
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/
information/Crocodylus_rhombifer.html.
