Range: As the name would imply the Orinoco crocodile is found in the middle and lower parts of the Orinoco River in the Llanas Savannah of Venezuela and Colombia, South America   

Habitat: They prefer freshwater, but do have a tolerance for high salinity, as evidenced by the sighting of Orinoco crocodiles on the island of Trinidad, over 150 miles north of Venezuela, that had been washed out into the ocean by a flood and had survived. Orinoco crocodiles had at one time a much larger range, being found in tropical evergreen forests and in streams in the Andes.

Size: To 23'.  The Orinoco Crocodile is the largest predator in South America. 

Status: Critically endangered

Rain Forest Facts: Orinoco crocodiles are extremely rare.  Reintroduction programs are under way but appear to be having limited success.  Native peoples are still poaching the animals for their hides. It is estimated that there are only between 250-700 left in the wild.  The Colombian government declared the Orinoco Crocodile endangered and protected the animal in 1998. 

The difficult years for the Orinoco Crocodile are very similar to other crocodilians around the world, the early and mid 20th century saw mass killings for skins.  Due in part to their large size and easy accessibility on the large Orinoco river and related tributaries, the Orinoco Crocodile was very hard hit by collection for skins.  Additionally the Orinoco Crocodile lacks the osteoderms found on many of the Caiman species it shares it's habitat with, as a result the Orinoco was hunted extensively while the Caiman did not experience such dramatic decline in numbers.

Large concentrations of the Orinoco Crocodile were often encountered by hunters as the animals would tend to congregate at shrinking water sources during the dry season, this factor coupled with many others led to the virtual extinction of the Orinoco Crocodile.

Ritual combat by adult male Crocodiles precedes mating.  Like many other Crocodile species, the Orinoco lays a single clutch of eggs per year.  The timing of the Orinoco Croc clutch coincides with the coming of the rainy season. 

On average 35-40 eggs are deposited in an excavation made by the female, clutches can, and do very in size from as few as 15 to as many as 70 eggs.  The clutch size appears to be larger dependant upon the physical size of the adult female crocodile.   Incubation of the Orinoco Crocodile eggs often varies based on soil temperature, but averages 65-70 days.   As is the case with all Crocodilians the temperature the eggs are incubated will determine the sex of the hatchling crocodiles.

Juvenile Orinoco Crocodiles are preyed upon by a host of predators.  Snakes, predatory birds, and other carnivores pose a threat to Crocs under 3' in length.  The eggs of the Orinoco Crocodile are consumed by Tegu lizards as well as Coatimundis and other creatures.