Over 95 million years of evolution have brought us the Crocodilia order, which shares similar behaviors and characteristics. A variety of aquatic animals inhabit this area, including crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharials.
A crocodile is the most widespread, living in temperate climates all over the world. There is a wide range of aggressiveness among these reptiles, from the extremely aggressive to the aggressively aggressive.
Let’s compare alligators, corocidles, caimans, and gharials to see their main differences.
The Main Differences Between Crocodilians
The main difference between alligators, caimans, and gharials and crocodiles is the size of crocodiles. Moreover, their snouts are different in shape and have different anatomy.
The crocodilians are carnivores that eat a variety of food, from insects to large mammals, based on their age and size. With its longer, narrower snout, the Gharial is an exception, designed specifically for catching and eating fish. Caimans also have long, pointed snouts like Gharials, but they are nowhere near as thin and long as Gharials. Crocodiles have V-shaped mouths, whereas alligators have U-shaped mouths. Now let’s compare alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and gharials.
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Alligators vs. Crocodiles vs. Caiman vs. Gharial: Size
On average, saltwater crocodiles are three feet longer than alligators, and are the largest and most powerful in the Crocodylia family. It is estimated that crocodiles grow to be 20 feet long and weigh up to 2,370 pounds, making them the largest animals on the planet. There have been records of alligators weighing as much as 1,380 pounds, while the largest specimen measured 13 feet long and weighed 790 pounds. It is possible for some caiman species to reach only 6.6 feet in length and weigh only 88 pounds. It can grow to 14 feet in length and weigh 1,300 pounds, but the Black Caiman lives in the Amazon. Eventually, the Gharial reaches a length of 20 feet and a weight of 1,000 pounds.
Alligators vs. Crocodiles vs. Caiman vs. Gharial: Behavior
In the Crocodylia family, all four members are apex predators that vary in aggressiveness from moderate to highly aggressive. You should avoid alligators and caiman at night because they are generally hiding among the bushes, but make no mistake; they will be dangerous to you if you corner or threaten them. Crocodiles, especially saltwater crocodiles, can be far more aggressive than humans. It is estimated that 300 people die each year because of the Nile crocodile. The reason why crocodiles are so aggressive is that they are extremely sensitive to noise and disturbances in the water since every scale on their bodies has a dome-shaped pressure sensor. A DPR is only found in the jaw of an alligator, however.
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Alligators vs. Crocodiles vs. Caiman vs. Gharial: Where Are They Found?
American alligators and Mexican alligators coexist in Florida with crocodiles, which are huge tourist attractions. A crocodile and an alligator co-exist here for the first time in the world. A second species of alligator is found in China – the Chinese alligator. There are, however, very few of them.
A crocodile can be found anywhere with a temperate climate. In cold weather, they do not like to be outside. As well as Africa, Asia, America and Australia, the Caribbean, New Guinea, Columbia, the Philippines, India, Borneo, Cuba, and Indonesia, they live in the Caribbean, New Guinea, Columbia, and the Philippines.
Central and South America as well as Mexico are home to the Caiman crocodile. The Black Caiman is the largest of the species and can be found in the Amazon. The Gharial is reported to be almost extinct and is found on the Sub-Indian continent. Crocodylia are found mainly in swamps and estuaries, where they sleep on sandbanks.
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Alligators vs. Crocodiles vs. Caiman vs. Gharial: Diet
The alligator is an apex predator, which feeds on turtles, coypu, dogs, panthers, bears, muskrats, birds, deer, and snakes. While they may spend the majority of their time lying in wait to ambush their prey, they have the ability to strike with great speed when they are ready to strike. The size and age of their target determines the type of target they will pursue.
When given the opportunity, freshwater crocodiles feed mainly on insects and small mammals, while their saltwater cousins feed primarily on larger mammals, including humans.
There are many types of animals that the Caiman crocodile feeds on, from piranha to turtles to birds, but it is the catfish and piranha that constitutes its main diet.
The long snout and 110 razor-sharp teeth of adult Gharials make them ideal for eating fish.
Alligators vs. Crocodiles vs. Cayman vs. Gharial: Reproduction
April through June is the breeding season for American alligators. It usually takes 63 to 68 days for a female to become pregnant, and her eggs hatch within 60 days of being laid. Usually, the babies hatch between early August and the first week of September. A clutch of about 38 baby alligators is left after about 30% of the eggs are lost to raccoons and flooding.
As the rainy season approaches, crocodiles mate between late June and mid-August in pools. When the females lay their eggs, they select high sand banks, where they hatch during December. During their gestation period, females lay eggs between three and six weeks before hatching them.
During July and August, female Caimans lay between 10 and 50 eggs, which hatch in about six weeks.
December and January are the months when Gharials mat. When the rivers are low and the banks are more exposed to sand, nesting and egg laying take place from March to May. Up to 60 eggs can be laid by the female at one time.
Breeding and mating occurs only once a year for all species.
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Alligators vs. Crocodiles vs. Caiman vs. Gharial: Bite Force
These Crocodylia species vary in bite force based on their size and species:
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2200 pounds/foot for alligators
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7700 pounds/foot – crocodile
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(smaller specie) 420 pounds/ft.
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450 pounds/foot for gharial
There is an interesting fact about great white sharks: their bite force is less than that of a crocodile. Even though these creatures have powerful bites, you can close their jaws with your bare hands. It is routine for duct tape to be applied to their jaws when they are caught and transported.
Alligators vs. Crocodiles vs. Caiman vs. Gharial: Predators
As apex predators, these animals are vulnerable only as hatchlings and juveniles when they are vulnerable to predators. It is only humans who pose a threat to them once they reach adulthood.
Bonus: Where Can You Find Crocodiles and Alligators Together?
Neither alligators nor crocodiles coexist anywhere else on earth except in the Florida Everglades. Crocodiles can survive in both fresh and saltwater, often choosing a brackish mix of both. Alligators can only survive in fresh water, while crocodiles can survive in both fresh and saltwater. In the Everglades, both animals thrive in the hot, humid, swampy atmosphere – which actually seems to work well for them.
The alligator is actually much docile than its croc cousins and the two are equally dangerous. A crocodile can attack just because someone is near them, unlike an alligator, which attacks only when provoked or hungry. Alligators spend a lot of time sunbathing while crocodiles are more active in the water. In addition to 1,000 crocodiles, there are over 200,000 alligators living in the Everglades.
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