The estuarine crocodile, also known as the saltwater crocodile, is the largest species in the crocodile family. The saltwater crocodile has many different names, but the most common is Gator. This species of crocodile is found in the waters of Australia. The first thing to know is that it may be called a saltwater crocodile, but it is found in freshwater areas. The reason is because the saltwater crocodile breeds during the rainy season, which is between the months of November and March. Despite the fact that the saltwater crocodile is normally found in saltwater areas, breeding grounds are established in freshwater. Males mark their territory and become defensive if another male attempts to enter the marked territory. Females reach sexual maturity around ten to twelve years of age. Males, however, do not reach sexual maturity until the age of sixteen. The female crocodile normally lays from forty to sixty eggs, but can lay up to ninety eggs. The eggs are laid in nests made from plants and mud and then buried. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Since eggs are laid during the rainy season, nests must be raised to avoid losses due to flooding. The male does not stay with the eggs, but the female stays and protects the nest from predators. After an incubation of ninety days, the offspring are hatched, although this time varies with the temperature of the nest. Sex is determined by nest temperature. Males are produced around 31.6 degrees Celsius. If this temperature increases or decreases even slightly, females are produced. The female will dig up the eggs when she hears the chirping that the offspring will emit after hatching. She will then help her little ones enter the water by carrying them in her mouth and caring for them until they learn to swim. Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptile on the planet today. When the hatchlings finally reach adulthood, their size can vary greatly. The size of an adult crocodile ranges from 880 to 1200 pounds with lengths of 14 to 17 feet for males and 180 to 220 pounds for females with lengths of 7.5 to 11 feet. An alligator's true size comes from its age. One thing to note about saltwater crocodiles is that they never stop growing as long as they live, so the best factor in determining a crocodile's size is their age. The average lifespan of each alligator is 70 years, but their age can range from 70 to 100 years. Age is not specific to the size of a saltwater crocodile, size can be very different from age. For example, the largest crocodile ever recorded is called Lolong and was the largest crocodile in captivity. It measured 20 feet 3 inches and weighed 2,370 pounds, making it one of the largest crocodiles ever measured from snout to tail. He was estimated to be around 50 years old. The saltwater crocodile population is still very large. There is no concern for the species yet. There may be in the future because the animal is losing its habits and is starting to be hunted too much for its skin. Its population has been significantly reduced over the years, but overall the saltwater crocodile species is so far low risk. Crocodile habitat is most commonly found on the coasts of northern Australia and the islands of New Guinea and Indonesia. It extends west to the coasts of Sri Lanka and eastern India, along all the coasts and river mouths of Southeast Asia to central Vietnam, around Borneo and the Philippines, and even as far as.