14-Foot Crocodile Dubbed Croczilla Is the Largest in Everglades; How Long Can Crocs Grow?

Croczilla, believed to be the largest crocodile in Everglades, got some time under the sun. A photographer shared her close encounter with the infamous croc after her failed attempts at seeing him in previous years.

Croczilla in Everglades

Kymberly Strempack Clark, a photographer, told Newsweek that she had been looking for Croczilla whenever she was at Everglades National Park. After hearing that he was the biggest croc in the park, she wanted to see a glimpse of him.

On her recent visit to the park, she looped through Nine Mile Pond on her way out before exiting the park hoping she would see the giant reptile.

Clark wasn't disappointed because the infamous croc was not just at a distance. It was immediately in front of her, basking in the sun. According to her, the big crocodile didn't look real at all.

American crocodiles and American alligators can be found in South Florida, where both crocodilians coexist. The outlet noted that crocodiles could grow up to 20 feet long but rarely exceed 14 feet in the wild. Croczilla is 14 feet long.

Clark noted that they were unsure if the croc was really Croczilla, but the employees and tour guides at Everglades National Park told her that he is seen occasionally at Nine Mile Pond and is the largest in the park.

Nine Mile Pond is a well-liked location for kayaking and canoeing, and according to Clark, numerous other cars were parked nearby. The crocodile did not seem to be deterred by these.

Croczilla was calmly basking in the sun on the bank, opening its mouth frequently to control its body temperature, according to Clark.

Clark stood for over an hour, his gaze fixed on the crocodile. She admitted that she found it difficult to leave after seeing the croc since she was mesmerized by his enormous beauty. Also, she realized she might never be blessed with its presence again.

Clark kept a safe distance from the apex predator, though. According to experts, alligators and crocodiles typically require a distance of about 20 feet because they may lunge up to 6 feet from a resting position.

How Long Can Crocodiles Grow?

Sizes vary among the 13 different crocodile species. According to the Zoological Society of London, the dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) is the smallest and can reach lengths of up to 5.6 feet (1.7 meters) and weights of 13 to 15 pounds (6 to 7 kilograms) (opens in new tab). According to Oceana.org, the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest and can reach lengths of up to 23 feet (6.5 meters) and weights of up to 2,000 pounds (907 kg) (opens in new tab).

The largest saltwater crocodile was 20 feet three inches long Lolong from the Philippines. He was caught in 2011. However, two years after he was held captive, he died due to stress.

Check out more news and information on Crocodiles in Science Times.