Wild Mexican crocodile swims in lagoon cover photo - 240471443

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Cover photo description:
A wild swamp crocodile Crocodylus moreletii is seen in a lagoon, in the Dos Lagunas Two Ponds Natural Reserve in PetÃ©n, Guatemala. Also known as Mexican Crocodile or Central American Crocodile, this animal lives in most of the YucatÃ¡n Peninsula, from Mexico to Guatemala and Belize. Like most crocodilians, Morelet`s crocodiles are highly opportunistic and will prey on practically anything that they can overpower that comes in their territories. Juvenile crocodiles feed largely on fish and insects until they become bigger and more capable of bringing down larger prey. Adults largely prey on small mammals, birds, and other reptiles as well as gastropods, crustaceans and other invertebrates. These small mammals can include domesticated animals like cats and dogs. Large specimens have been shown to be able to overtake large prey. Dogs and goats have been taken by this species, including a record of a 2.9 m 9 ft 6 in adult killing an English sheepdog which weighed at least 35 kg 77 lb. Adults have also been recorded eating even larger animals, including adult and nearly-grown cattle and an adult tapir, although these have been cases of scavenging on caracasses, with the tapir having been killed by a jaguar it is possible that the jaguar was present when the crocodile fed.