The estuarine crocodile, also known as the saltwater crocodile, is the largest species in the family Crocodylidae. The saltwater crocodile has many different names, but the most common is Gator. This species of crocodile is present in Australian waters. The first thing to know is that it may be called a saltwater crocodile, but it is found in freshwater areas. The reason is that the saltwater crocodile breeds during the rainy season, between November and March. Although the saltwater crocodile is normally found in saltwater areas, its breeding grounds are established in freshwater. Males mark their territory and become defensive if another male attempts to enter his marked territory. Females reach sexual maturity at around ten to twelve years of age. Males, on the other hand, do not reach sexual maturity until they are sixteen years old. The female crocodile normally lays between forty and sixty eggs, but she can lay up to ninety. The eggs are placed in mound-shaped nests made of plants and mud, then buried. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the Original Essay Since eggs are laid during the rainy season, nests need to be elevated to prevent loss due to flooding. The male does not stay with the eggs, but the female stays and protects the nest from predators. After ninety days of incubation, the offspring hatch, although this duration varies depending on the temperature of the nest. Sex is determined by nest temperature. Males are born at around 31.6 degrees Celsius. If this temperature increases or decreases slightly, females are produced. The female will dig up the eggs when she hears a chirping sound that the offspring will make after hatching. She will then help her offspring enter the water by carrying them in her mouth and will look after them until they learn to swim. Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptile on the planet today. When the offspring finally reach adulthood, their size can vary greatly. The size of an adult crocodile ranges from 880 to 1,200 pounds with lengths of 14 to 17 feet for males and for females from 180 to 220 pounds 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 an alligator is 70 years, but its age can vary 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 he 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 population of marine crocodiles is still very large. There is no concern for the species yet. This could happen in the future as the animal loses its habits and begins to be hunted too much for its skin. Its population has been reduced significantly over the years, but overall the saltwater crocodile species poses only a low risk so far. The habitat of crocodiles is most often found on the coasts of northern Australia and on the islands of New Guinea and Indonesia. It extends west to the coasts of Sri Lanka and eastern India, all along the shores and river mouths of Southeast Asia to central Vietnam, around Borneo and.