Two baby West African Dwarf crocodiles were recently hatched at the Riverview Park and Zoo in Peterborough.
The zoo late last week announced the hatches occurred on Dec. 17, 2022. Zookeeper Sharolyn Heeringa says the eggs were incubated for over 100 days. They hatchlings are the offspring of the zoo’s two crocs Lyle and Irwin.
The breed is the smallest of the crocodilian family. The two babies are currently eight inches and 0.1 pounds (50 grams). Adults can grow up to five to six feet in length and 44 pounds.
Heeringa says the West African Dwarf crocodile is considered critically endangered due to habitat loss and the bush meat trade in the reptile’s native African countries. There are an estimated 25,000 to 100,000 individuals in the wild. Under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN), the West African Dwarf crocodile conservation status is “vulnerable.”
The zoo says females typically lay an average clutch of 10 to 14 hard-shell eggs, though up to 21 have been recorded. It will take up to two years to determine the sex of the crocodiles as they can change based on their environment.
“Having two born is significant because they only lay one clutch a year,” Heeringa said. “So having two baby crocodiles born is important for the species’ survival.”
Crocodiles mainly eat fish, crustaceans and amphibians. At the zoo, the crocodiles are fed twice a week with a diet of various types of meat.
While the zoo is open daily with free admission, the baby crocodiles won’t be available for public viewing until the summer, Heeringa said.
Lyle and Irwin being fed: