The largest of all living crocodiles — the saltwater or estuarine crocodile — is found in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. It is common in freshwater swamps and rivers although it moves to estuaries (where rivers meet the ocean) during summer.

Extremely powerful, it can swim 24 to 28 km per hour in short bursts. An adult male can grow almost five-and-a-half metres long and weigh 770 kg.

An estuarine croc has a broad body and a longer muzzle than the mugger.

This reptile is an opportunistic predator and takes on large animals such as deer and water buffaloes. The es-tuarine croc usually waits at the water’s edge to ambush its prey and then drags its victims into the water.

An estuarine croc is lethargic by nature and helps it to survive without any food for months together. It is only at night that it hunts.