Snowleopard's Mammals: A Lifetime List of Species Mammalian and Non-Mammalian

[MRJ]

I've never seen American Crocodiles anywhere in Australia, Europe or Asia, and even in North America they've been rarities. I've seen the species at 10 zoos and 4 of those sightings were in Florida in a single month in the summer of 2012 and 4 other sightings were in 2008. It's kind of amazing to think that I have not seen this species at a new zoo in a full decade, even though I've certainly visited loads of zoos in that time period! I'm guessing that for zoo nerds living in Florida, then perhaps American Crocodiles are relatively common.

1- Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (USA) – American Crocodile – 2008
2- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – American Crocodile – 2008
3- Emperor Valley Zoo (Trinidad & Tobago) – American Crocodile – 2008
4- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – American Crocodile – 2008
5- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – American Crocodile – 2012
6- Brevard Zoo (USA) – American Crocodile – 2012
7- Busch Wildlife Sanctuary (USA) – American Crocodile – 2012
8- The Florida Aquarium (USA) – American Crocodile – 2012
9- Reptile Gardens (USA) – American Crocodile – 2014
10- Alexandria Zoo (USA) – American Crocodile – 2015

Here's a full body shot of an American Crocodile:

@Austin the Sengi

The first time I ever saw some American Crocodiles was inside the Manatee Springs complex at Cincinnati Zoo (USA) in 2008.

@Andrew_NZP

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) has long had American Crocodiles in with snapping turtles in the brilliant Kingdoms of the Night nocturnal complex.

@Dhole dude

I visited the terrible Emperor Valley Zoo (Trinidad & Tobago) in late 2008 and I saw a single American Crocodile in a pool with very shallow water.

Disney's Animal Kingdom (USA) used to have American Crocodiles in the DinoLand U.S.A. section of the park. Hardly any other live animals were in this area of the zoo.

@geomorph

American Crocodiles were mixed with Red-footed Tortoises at St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) when I toured that facility in 2012.

A gorgeous, swampy exhibit for American Crocodiles can be found at Brevard Zoo (USA).

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary (USA) had a couple of American Crocodiles in simple pens with wooden 'slides' into the shallow pools.

I saw American Crocodiles at a 4th Florida zoo in the summer of 2012 while touring Florida Aquarium (USA). The species is held indoors there, but within a large greenhouse-style structure with loads of skylights.

Continuing the trend of appalling crocodilian exhibits at Reptile Gardens (USA), here's their American Crocodile enclosure.

You can see an American Crocodile in its pool at Alexandria Zoo (USA), with a significant amount of lawn space for the species at this establishment.

Crocodilian List:

American Alligator = 145 zoos
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman = 51 zoos
False Gharial = 38 zoos
Saltwater Crocodile = 35 zoos
Dwarf Crocodile = 34 zoos
Spectacled Caiman = 28 zoos
Chinese Alligator = 24 zoos
Nile Crocodile = 23 zoos
Siamese Crocodile = 23 zoos
Smooth-fronted Caiman = 16 zoos
Freshwater Crocodile = 13 zoos
Gharial = 13 zoos
Cuban Crocodile = 11 zoos
American Crocodile = 10 zoos

I guess the alligator just dominates everybody's attention. As an animal-enthusiast youth I was very aware of alligators but really did not become aware of American crocodiles till about five years ago. Visiting Florida earlier this year alligators were referenced everywhere, but I saw almost no reference to crocodiles. I have managed to see American crocodiles in the wild, in Panama.

Another factor as far as zoos go is that American alligators are far more tolerant of lower temperatures than crocodiles, making them easier and cheaper to keep.

 

[Wisp O' Mist]

I guess the alligator just dominates everybody's attention. As an animal-enthusiast youth I was very aware of alligators but really did not become aware of American crocodiles till about five years ago. Visiting Florida earlier this year alligators were referenced everywhere, but I saw almost no reference to crocodiles. I have managed to see American crocodiles in the wild, in Panama.

Another factor as far as zoos go is that American alligators are far more tolerant of lower temperatures than crocodiles, making them easier and cheaper to keep.

It actually made the news when a wild American Crocodile turned up on a beach near my *hometown!

(*Admittedly, where I grew up is quite a bit further north than where American Crocs typically roam in Florida.)

 

[snowleopard]

I'm down to single-digit sightings now and I've seen Philippine Crocodiles at only 8 zoos. The first 4 are all found in the U.S., with each having a number of crocodilian species over the years, but then I didn't see any Philippine Crocodiles for 7 years. Long road trips in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018 saw me tour hundreds of different American zoos and never once seeing the species anywhere. Even in Europe, I've gone 3/120 zoos with these crocs and 1/60 zoos in Asia which is perhaps even more surprising. Zootierliste currently lists only 24 zoos in the world with Philippine Crocodiles and that's across 12 different countries and so the species is spread out in captivity.

1- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Philippine Crocodile – 2008
2- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Philippine Crocodile – 2010
3- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – Philippine Crocodile – 2012
4- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – Philippine Crocodile – 2012
5- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Philippine Crocodile – 2019
6- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – Philippine Crocodile – 2019
7- Terrariet Reptile Zoo (Denmark) – Philippine Crocodile – 2022
8- Singapore Zoo (Singapore) – Philippine Crocodile – 2024

The very first time I ever saw Philippine Crocodiles was inside the cavernous Lied Jungle at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA), one of the world's great zoos.

Two years later, I came across Philippine Crocodiles at Gladys Porter Zoo (USA), deep in the south of Texas.

Florida is consistently a rich source of crocodilians, and I saw Philippine Crocodiles there at St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) in 2012.

When I toured ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) in the summer of 2012, I saw Philippine Crocodiles next to a 'Flume Ride'. I believe that the croc species there has changed a couple of times over the years.

I then went 7 long years without seeing any Philippine Crocodiles until my first big trip to Europe in 2019. The rather obscure Pakawi Park (Belgium) had the species in an indoor exhibit.

Both photos via @KevinB

Not only does Cologne Zoo (Germany) have Nile Crocodiles in a spacious enclosure, but there's also breeding Philippine Crocodiles within the fantastic Terrarium building.

@RonBurrgundy

@wstefan

At the Terrariet Reptile Zoo (Denmark), I saw two exhibits for Philippine Crocodiles when I was there in 2022. All-indoors, but with large skylights.

And that leaves Singapore Zoo (Singapore) as the last facility where I saw Philippine Crocodiles. The RepTopia complex there is superb and one of the newer updates at that world-class zoo.

Both photos via @Zooish

Crocodilian List:

American Alligator = 145 zoos
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman = 51 zoos
False Gharial = 38 zoos
Saltwater Crocodile = 35 zoos
Dwarf Crocodile = 34 zoos
Spectacled Caiman = 28 zoos
Chinese Alligator = 24 zoos
Nile Crocodile = 23 zoos
Siamese Crocodile = 23 zoos
Smooth-fronted Caiman = 16 zoos
Freshwater Crocodile = 13 zoos
Gharial = 13 zoos
Cuban Crocodile = 11 zoos
American Crocodile = 10 zoos
Philippine Crocodile = 8 zoos

 

[biggest_dreamer]

The neatest thing about Brevard Zoo's American crocodile exhibit is that it's separated from their American alligator exhibit by a bridge, so you'll have the two species on either side of you as you walk down. It's a fun contrast.

 

[snowleopard]

I've seen West African Slender-snouted Crocodiles at 8 zoos, but what's really interesting is that the species was always signed simply as Slender-snouted Crocodile and it wasn't until the last decade where suddenly there was a split and now there's also a Central African Slender-snouted Crocodile. Zootierliste doesn't list a single zoo with that latter species, and one wonders how many zoos don't actually know whether they currently have either the West African or Central species in their collection.

Is there any chance I've actually seen a Central African Slender-snouted Crocodile on my travels? Probably not.

1- Oregon Zoo (USA) – West African Slender-snouted Crocodile – 2005
2- San Diego Zoo (USA) – West African Slender-snouted Crocodile – 2006
3- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – West African Slender-snouted Crocodile – 2010
4- Maryland Zoo (USA) – West African Slender-snouted Crocodile – 2010
5- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – West African Slender-snouted Crocodile – 2012
6- Reptile Gardens (USA) – West African Slender-snouted Crocodile – 2014
7- Diergaarde Blijdorp (Netherlands) – West African Slender-snouted Crocodile – 2019
8- Bali Reptile Park (Indonesia) – West African Slender-snouted Crocodile – 2024

West African Slender-snouted Crocodile:

@Sarus Crane

The first time I saw West African Slender-snouted Crocodiles was at Oregon Zoo (USA), a facility I've visited many times. The exhibit there is indoors, within a hot and humid building, and it's nicely designed. The first public area is all glass, with a deep pool and underwater viewing, while the second viewing area allows visitors to lean over and gaze down at the crocs.

Another zoo I've visited many times is San Diego Zoo (USA), and there's a nice pair of lushly planted exhibits in the Lost Forest part of the park. You can literally get lost as this section of the zoo is a maze! My photo below shows the Pygmy Hippo/Wolf's Guenon mixed-species exhibit on the left, with a hippo resting on the shore, and the West African Slender-snouted Crocodile pool on the right.

Here's a close-up view of one of the San Diego crocs:

@Julio C Castro

Kansas City Zoo (USA) had West African Slender-snouted Crocodiles when I spent a long day touring that large zoo in 2010. The most recent photo of these crocs from this zoo is 2017 and can anyone confirm that the species is still there. There's definitely some kind of crocodilian listed on the zoo's online map.

I saw West African Slender-snouted Crocodiles at Maryland Zoo (USA) in 2010, and they currently have a specimen that is partially melanistic...or perhaps something else is up with the colouration of this particular individual.

@RatioTile

My image shows a typical croc pool at St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) for West African Slender-snouted Crocodiles.

Reptile Gardens (USA) has West African Slender-snouted Crocodiles as well.

@Mr. Bobcat

I have seen West African Slender-snouted Crocodiles ONCE at 120 European zoos and it was Blijdorp Zoo (Netherlands) in 2019. My photo shows an underwater viewing area:

Here's another view of the exhibit within the Crocodile River greenhouse complex.

@Mr Gharial

I also saw West African Slender-snouted Crocodiles only ONCE at 60 Asian zoos and it was Bali Reptile Park (Indonesia) in 2024. That establishment has 4 crocodilian species.

@Semioptera

Crocodilian List:

American Alligator = 145 zoos
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman = 51 zoos
False Gharial = 38 zoos
Saltwater Crocodile = 35 zoos
Dwarf Crocodile = 34 zoos
Spectacled Caiman = 28 zoos
Chinese Alligator = 24 zoos
Nile Crocodile = 23 zoos
Siamese Crocodile = 23 zoos
Smooth-fronted Caiman = 16 zoos
Freshwater Crocodile = 13 zoos
Gharial = 13 zoos
Cuban Crocodile = 11 zoos
American Crocodile = 10 zoos
Philippine Crocodile = 8 zoos
West African Slender-snouted Crocodile = 8 zoos

 

[Aardwolf]

Kansas City has dwarf croc in that exhibit now; they had slender snout when I visited in 2021, and dwarf when I went back last year. Originally, the exhibit had Nile

 

[Mr Gharial]

I have seen West African Slender-snouted Crocodiles ONCE at 120 European zoos and it was Blijdorp Zoo (Netherlands) in 2019. My photo shows an underwater viewing area:

Here's another view of the exhibit within the Crocodile River greenhouse complex.

@Mr Gharial

The Slender-snouted crocodiles actually don't have any underwater viewing. The first picture you've shown is one of two windows into neighbouring exhibit housing Nile crocodiles

 

[snowleopard]

I've seen Broad-snouted Caiman at 7 zoos and that's only in two nations. There's 5 times in the USA and twice in the Netherlands and literally nowhere else, which seems odd but that's how it panned out. Zootierliste has the species listed at 11 different countries in Europe, but not in large numbers, and of course there's a ton of zoos in Brazil with the species.

1- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – Broad-snouted Caiman – 2006
2- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – Broad-snouted Caiman – 2012
3- Palm Beach Zoo (USA) – Broad-snouted Caiman – 2012
4- Alexandria Zoo (USA) – Broad-snouted Caiman – 2015
5- Sea Life Scheveningen (Netherlands) – Broad-snouted Caiman – 2019
6- Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) – Broad-snouted Caiman – 2019
7- Bronx Zoo (USA) - Broad-snouted Caiman – 2025

Broad-snouted Caiman:

@Andrew_NZP

Back in 2006, San Francisco Zoo (USA) had Broad-snouted Caiman inside their South American Tropical Forest building (which has since been revamped), but that species has now left the collection and there are no photos in the gallery.

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) had Broad-snouted Caiman back in 2012, along with every other known crocodilian at that time.

Here's one up close at St. Augustine, with its broad snout:

@TheoV

Within the Tropics of the Americas complex at Palm Beach Zoo (USA), I saw a very naturalistic Broad-snouted Caiman exhibit there in 2012. Florida is a state where there are many outdoor crocodilian exhibits due to the warm climate.

A rusty old shed is the thematic holding quarters for Broad-snouted Caiman at Alexandria Zoo (USA) in Louisiana, another state packed with many outdoor crocodilian enclosures.

At Sea Life Scheveningen (Netherlands), I saw Broad-snouted Caiman, and it was a surprise to see them in a Sea Life franchised aquarium.

@vogelcommando

Burgers' Bush, the famous jungle rainforest at Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands), had Broad-snouted Caiman when I was there in 2019. I think the species might now be gone.

My favourite exhibit inside the newly reopened World of Darkness at Bronx Zoo (USA) is the Broad-snouted Caiman enclosure. There is a machine (not seen) that sprays mist into the dimly lit exhibit and it's a cool effect.

Crocodilian List:

American Alligator = 145 zoos
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman = 51 zoos
False Gharial = 38 zoos
Saltwater Crocodile = 35 zoos
Dwarf Crocodile = 34 zoos
Spectacled Caiman = 28 zoos
Chinese Alligator = 24 zoos
Nile Crocodile = 23 zoos
Siamese Crocodile = 23 zoos
Smooth-fronted Caiman = 16 zoos
Freshwater Crocodile = 13 zoos
Gharial = 13 zoos
Cuban Crocodile = 11 zoos
American Crocodile = 10 zoos
Philippine Crocodile = 8 zoos
West African Slender-snouted Crocodile = 8 zoos
Broad-snouted Caiman = 7 zoos

 

[snowleopard]

Two species today as we near the end of my master list of crocodilians!

The next crocodilian on my list is Morelet's Crocodile, and I've seen that species at 7 zoos and all of them have been in the United States. It's fascinating to note that the first 3 establishments are notable institutions, known by many on this site, while the last 4 are very obscure facilities that are likely not known by most zoo nerds. I've never seen this species outside of America and yet Zootierliste has 20 zoos with Morelet's Crocodiles just in Europe.

1- Dallas World Aquarium (USA) – Morelet’s Crocodile – 2010
2- Newport Aquarium (USA) – Morelet’s Crocodile – 2012
3- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – Morelet’s Crocodile – 2012
4- Capital of Texas Zoo (USA) – Morelet’s Crocodile – 2015
5- Wilderness Trails Zoo (USA) – Morelet’s Crocodile – 2018
6- Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) – Morelet’s Crocodile – 2018
7- Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary (USA) – Morelet’s Crocodile – 2018

AND...

I've seen Yacare Caiman at 6 zoos, with 2 of them located in my native Canada, 3 in the U.S. and a solitary zoo in Germany. There are only around 30 zoos in the world with this rare crocodilian.

1- Vancouver Aquarium (Canada) – Yacare Caiman – 1986
2- Montreal Biodome (Canada) – Yacare Caiman – 2008
3- Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo (USA) – Yacare Caiman – 2012
4- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – Yacare Caiman – 2012
5- RAD (Reptile & Amphibian Discovery) Zoo (USA) – Yacare Caiman – 2014
6- Drachenwelt (Dragon World) Reptile Zoo (Germany) – Yacare Caiman – 2019

First up are Morelet's Crocodiles. At Dallas World Aquarium (USA), in an exhibit that is awkward to photograph in the Mundo Maya part of the complex, can be found a handful of Morelet's Crocodiles.

@Ituri

Gator Alley, at Newport Aquarium (USA), held Morelet's Crocodiles when I was there in 2012. Most of the exhibits were far too small, even for juveniles.

@Moebelle

You can see a Morelet's Crocodile in my photo from St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA).

Is this a pet shop? Someone's bedroom? Nope, it's my image from the Capital of Texas Zoo (USA) in 2015. Two years later and the Morelet's Crocodile was in a terrarium not much larger than this one.

At the Wilderness Trails Zoo (USA), I was stunned to come across a Morelet's Crocodile in an outdoor exhibit and resting on woodchips. Who would have expected to see this rare species at an obscure zoo in Michigan?

Both Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) and Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary (USA) had Morelet's Crocodiles when I was there but there are zero photos in the gallery.

AND...

As for Yacare Caiman, I've been to the Vancouver Aquarium (Canada) literally dozens of times and for decades the facility had 3 Yacare Caiman in the exhibit in my photo. During my last couple of visits, the aquarium was down to a single caiman in this exhibit that opened around 40+ years ago.

When I toured the unique Montreal Biodome (Canada) in 2008, I saw Yacare Caiman in the tropical ecosystem. After the big renovation of the building, the zoo now has Broad-snouted Caiman.

@Newzooboy

At Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo (USA) in 2012, I went into the tropical house and saw Yacare Caiman in this indoor exhibit.

Of course, I saw Yacare Caiman at St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) in 2012.

Here's a Yacare Caiman at St. Augustine:

@Zoological Point

RAD (Reptile & Amphibian Discovery) Zoo (USA) is a rather home-made zoo in a big warehouse with an impressive collection in utilitarian exhibits. Yacare Caiman were part of that collection when I toured the establishment in 2014.

The old-fashioned floor tiles and hanging plants appeared to come from another era at Drachenwelt (Dragon World) Reptile Zoo (Germany) when I was there in 2019. This is the Yacare Caiman exhibit at that zoo:

Crocodilian List:

American Alligator = 145 zoos
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman = 51 zoos
False Gharial = 38 zoos
Saltwater Crocodile = 35 zoos
Dwarf Crocodile = 34 zoos
Spectacled Caiman = 28 zoos
Chinese Alligator = 24 zoos
Nile Crocodile = 23 zoos
Siamese Crocodile = 23 zoos
Smooth-fronted Caiman = 16 zoos
Freshwater Crocodile = 13 zoos
Gharial = 13 zoos
Cuban Crocodile = 11 zoos
American Crocodile = 10 zoos
Philippine Crocodile = 8 zoos
West African Slender-snouted Crocodile = 8 zoos
Broad-snouted Caiman = 7 zoos
Morelet's Crocodile = 7 zoos
Yacare Caiman = 6 zoos

 

[snowleopard]

I did two species yesterday and I'll look at two more today!

I've seen New Guinea Crocodiles at 6 zoos and this species has been a real rarity in western collections. Zootierliste has only 20 zoos worldwide with the species and 4 of my sightings were in the space of around a week in Indonesia in 2024. Before that, I'd seen these crocs only twice in my lifetime.

1- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – New Guinea Crocodile – 2012
2- Alligator Alley (USA) – New Guinea Crocodile – 2014
3- Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) – New Guinea Crocodile – 2024
4- Bandung Zoo (Indonesia) – New Guinea Crocodile – 2024
5- Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia) – New Guinea Crocodile – 2024
6- Taman Mini Indonesia Indah: Reptile Park (Indonesia) – New Guinea Crocodile – 2024

AND...

I've seen Orinoco Crocodiles at 5 zoos and this species is almost unheard of outside of zoos in the Americas. In fact, all 5 of my sightings have been in U.S. zoos and there's apparently only one collection in Europe with the species. I haven't seen any in 13 years even though I've visited hundreds of zoos in that time period. If you see an Orinoco croc, then treasure that experience.

1- Zoo Miami (USA) – Orinoco Crocodile – 2008
2- Dallas World Aquarium (USA) – Orinoco Crocodile – 2010
3- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – Orinoco Crocodile – 2010
4- Newport Aquarium (USA) – Orinoco Crocodile – 2012
5- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – Orinoco Crocodile – 2012

New Guinea Crocodile:

@twilighter

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) had New Guinea Crocodiles back in 2012 in this exhibit.

Then, to my complete shock, I saw this New Guinea Crocodile at the crappy little reptile zoo Alligator Alley (USA) in Wisconsin. My photo shows the entire exhibit.

I thought I'd never see another New Guinea Crocodile, but then again, I would not have known @twilighter would invite me on a trip to Southeast Asia!

Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) has an exhibit for New Guinea Crocodiles that's surrounded by jungle, but the actual enclosure isn't that impressive.

New Guinea Crocodiles are easily seen at Bandung Zoo (Indonesia) as there are two exhibits for the species. The enclosures are adjacent to each other and can be seen below:

One of the world's largest zoos, Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia), has New Guinea Crocodiles and this image is a cracker of a shot.

@Semioptera

And the 4th zoo in a week with New Guinea Crocodiles was Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Indonesia).

Orinoco Crocodiles:

@biggiesmalls

As for Orinoco Crocodiles, the first time I saw this species was at Zoo Miami (USA) in 2008 on the opening day of the South American complex Amazon & Beyond.

I saw at least 4 Orinoco Crocodiles that day:

At Dallas World Aquarium (USA) a zoo nerd can salivate at the abundance of rarities, but some of the accommodation is sketchy to say the least. Here is a juvenile Orinoco Crocodile in a very tiny exhibit and I took this photo in 2010:

My shot of the adult enclosure reveals a larger space for the Orinoco Crocodiles at the aquarium.

When I was at San Antonio Zoo (USA) in 2010, I saw Orinoco Crocodiles in this exhibit, which at one time held California Sea Lions, then it was converted into a River Otter enclosure, and then the crocs.

Newport Aquarium (USA) had Orinoco Crocodiles in 2012, and the visitor bridge had a glass bottom floor, and it was possible to peer over both sides to see the animals.

Lastly, St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) has crocs in every corner, and I saw Orinoco Crocodiles there in 2012 in this enclosure.

Crocodilian List: 21 species and counting...

American Alligator = 145 zoos
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman = 51 zoos
False Gharial = 38 zoos
Saltwater Crocodile = 35 zoos
Dwarf Crocodile = 34 zoos
Spectacled Caiman = 28 zoos
Chinese Alligator = 24 zoos
Nile Crocodile = 23 zoos
Siamese Crocodile = 23 zoos
Smooth-fronted Caiman = 16 zoos
Freshwater Crocodile = 13 zoos
Gharial = 13 zoos
Cuban Crocodile = 11 zoos
American Crocodile = 10 zoos
Philippine Crocodile = 8 zoos
West African Slender-snouted Crocodile = 8 zoos
Broad-snouted Caiman = 7 zoos
Morelet's Crocodile = 7 zoos
New Guinea Crocodile = 6 zoos
Yacare Caiman = 6 zoos
Orinoco Crocodile = 5 zoos

Up next: One more post about crocodilians.

 

[EagleScout610]

Inside The Rainforest building at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA), I saw Gharials in 2010. Hopefully those crocodilians will be included in the upcoming transformation of that complex.

Sorry for the late reply, but yes Gharials are staying in the renovation.

 

[biggest_dreamer]

Crazy that Orinoco falls so low... based on my own much smaller list, I would've expected it to be way more common. At three facilities, it sits in a three-way tie for second place amongst crocodiles for me, tied with Cuban and saltwater, and behind dwarf. All three sightings were within the past three years - Brookfield, Dallas World Aquarium, and Gladys Porter.

 

[NNM.]

At Dallas World Aquarium (USA) a zoo nerd can salivate at the abundance of rarities, but some of the accommodation is sketchy to say the least. Here is a juvenile Orinoco Crocodile in a very tiny exhibit and I took this photo in 2010:

Is that the whole thing?

 

[biggest_dreamer]

I can’t comment on 2010, but it’s in a much larger exhibit today (or at least their current Orinoco is, if it’s not the same one). They’ve still got some really puny exhibits though, including for dwarf caimans.

 

[snowleopard]

This thread is not quite over, but this will be my final post on crocodilians, and I will analyze THREE species today. Of the 612 different zoos and aquariums that I've visited, 272 of them had at least one type of crocodilian.

I've seen Black Caiman at only 3 zoos, which makes sense as Zootierliste has 15 zoos worldwide listed with this rare species. These guys can sometimes be huge, and this species is the largest of the 6 types of caiman.

1- Emperor Valley Zoo (Trinidad & Tobago) – Black Caiman – 2008
2- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – Black Caiman – 2012
3- Aalborg Zoo (Denmark) – Black Caiman – 2022

AND...

I've seen West African Crocodiles at only 3 zoos, with Zootierliste having these crocs listed at 18 zoos worldwide. This is the only species of my 24 lifetime crocodilians that I did NOT see at St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) in 2012.

1- RAD (Reptile & Amphibian Discovery) Zoo (USA) – West African Crocodile – 2014
2- Kristiansand Zoo (Norway) – West African Crocodile – 2022
3- Kobenhavn Zoo/Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – West African Crocodile – 2022

AND...

I've seen Mugger Crocodiles at only 1 zoo, with Zootierliste having these crocs listed at 7 zoos worldwide other than numerous collections in India and Sri Lanka.

1- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – Mugger Crocodile – 2012

Black Caiman:

@RatioTile

Back in 2008, the Emperor Valley Zoo (Trinidad & Tobago) was quite dreadful and the Black Caiman in this pool had barely enough brown water to submerge itself.

You can see a large Black Caiman on the right of its pool in my photo from St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) in 2012. It's interesting to see how so many of the crocodilian enclosures at this zoo look very similar to each other.

My 3rd and final time seeing Black Caiman was at Aalborg Zoo (Denmark), where a rather industrial looking tropical house contains two exhibits for the species. In my image of the second enclosure, you can see an enormous Black Caiman and I recall being shocked at the sheer size of the creature. This species can grow to very long lengths.

As for West African Crocodiles, I saw the species at RAD (Reptile & Amphibian Discovery) Zoo (USA) in Minnesota, where their crocodilian exhibits tend to all look like this one in my photo below.

At Kristiansand Zoo (Norway), there are West African Crocodiles inside the Jungle House and there is a very impressive mural as a backdrop.

There's also a tropical house at Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark), which contains an exhibit for West African Crocodiles. I took this photo in 2022:

@Javan Rhino

As for Mugger Crocodiles, I've seen this species only once ever and you can see one in my photo of the excellent exhibit at St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA).

Mugger Crocodile:

@aim_foliksta

Crocodilian List: 24 species in total

American Alligator = 145 zoos
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman = 51 zoos
False Gharial = 38 zoos
Saltwater Crocodile = 35 zoos
Dwarf Crocodile = 34 zoos
Spectacled Caiman = 28 zoos
Chinese Alligator = 24 zoos
Nile Crocodile = 23 zoos
Siamese Crocodile = 23 zoos
Smooth-fronted Caiman = 16 zoos
Freshwater Crocodile = 13 zoos
Gharial = 13 zoos
Cuban Crocodile = 11 zoos
American Crocodile = 10 zoos
Philippine Crocodile = 8 zoos
West African Slender-snouted Crocodile = 8 zoos
Broad-snouted Caiman = 7 zoos
Morelet's Crocodile = 7 zoos
New Guinea Crocodile = 6 zoos
Yacare Caiman = 6 zoos
Orinoco Crocodile = 5 zoos
Black Caiman = 3 zoos
West African Crocodile = 3 zoos
Mugger Crocodile = 1 zoo

 

[NNM.]

Today I learned the West African crocodile was a separate species from the West African dwarf crocodile.

 

[DaLilFishie]

I did two species yesterday and I'll look at two more today!

I've seen New Guinea Crocodiles at 6 zoos and this species has been a real rarity in western collections. Zootierliste has only 20 zoos worldwide with the species and 4 of my sightings were in the space of around a week in Indonesia in 2024. Before that, I'd seen these crocs only twice in my lifetime.

1- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – New Guinea Crocodile – 2012
2- Alligator Alley (USA) – New Guinea Crocodile – 2014
3- Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) – New Guinea Crocodile – 2024
4- Bandung Zoo (Indonesia) – New Guinea Crocodile – 2024
5- Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia) – New Guinea Crocodile – 2024
6- Taman Mini Indonesia Indah: Reptile Park (Indonesia) – New Guinea Crocodile – 2024

AND...

I've seen Orinoco Crocodiles at 5 zoos and this species is almost unheard of outside of zoos in the Americas. In fact, all 5 of my sightings have been in U.S. zoos and there's apparently only one collection in Europe with the species. I haven't seen any in 13 years even though I've visited hundreds of zoos in that time period. If you see an Orinoco croc, then treasure that experience.

1- Zoo Miami (USA) – Orinoco Crocodile – 2008
2- Dallas World Aquarium (USA) – Orinoco Crocodile – 2010
3- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – Orinoco Crocodile – 2010
4- Newport Aquarium (USA) – Orinoco Crocodile – 2012
5- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – Orinoco Crocodile – 2012

New Guinea Crocodile:

@twilighter

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) had New Guinea Crocodiles back in 2012 in this exhibit.

Then, to my complete shock, I saw this New Guinea Crocodile at the crappy little reptile zoo Alligator Alley (USA) in Wisconsin. My photo shows the entire exhibit.

I thought I'd never see another New Guinea Crocodile, but then again, I would not have known @twilighter would invite me on a trip to Southeast Asia!

Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) has an exhibit for New Guinea Crocodiles that's surrounded by jungle, but the actual enclosure isn't that impressive.

New Guinea Crocodiles are easily seen at Bandung Zoo (Indonesia) as there are two exhibits for the species. The enclosures are adjacent to each other and can be seen below:

One of the world's largest zoos, Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia), has New Guinea Crocodiles and this image is a cracker of a shot.

@Semioptera

And the 4th zoo in a week with New Guinea Crocodiles was Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Indonesia).

Orinoco Crocodiles:

@biggiesmalls

As for Orinoco Crocodiles, the first time I saw this species was at Zoo Miami (USA) in 2008 on the opening day of the South American complex Amazon & Beyond.

I saw at least 4 Orinoco Crocodiles that day:

At Dallas World Aquarium (USA) a zoo nerd can salivate at the abundance of rarities, but some of the accommodation is sketchy to say the least. Here is a juvenile Orinoco Crocodile in a very tiny exhibit and I took this photo in 2010:

My shot of the adult enclosure reveals a larger space for the Orinoco Crocodiles at the aquarium.

When I was at San Antonio Zoo (USA) in 2010, I saw Orinoco Crocodiles in this exhibit, which at one time held California Sea Lions, then it was converted into a River Otter enclosure, and then the crocs.

Newport Aquarium (USA) had Orinoco Crocodiles in 2012, and the visitor bridge had a glass bottom floor, and it was possible to peer over both sides to see the animals.

Lastly, St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) has crocs in every corner, and I saw Orinoco Crocodiles there in 2012 in this enclosure.

Crocodilian List: 21 species and counting...

American Alligator = 145 zoos
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman = 51 zoos
False Gharial = 38 zoos
Saltwater Crocodile = 35 zoos
Dwarf Crocodile = 34 zoos
Spectacled Caiman = 28 zoos
Chinese Alligator = 24 zoos
Nile Crocodile = 23 zoos
Siamese Crocodile = 23 zoos
Smooth-fronted Caiman = 16 zoos
Freshwater Crocodile = 13 zoos
Gharial = 13 zoos
Cuban Crocodile = 11 zoos
American Crocodile = 10 zoos
Philippine Crocodile = 8 zoos
West African Slender-snouted Crocodile = 8 zoos
Broad-snouted Caiman = 7 zoos
Morelet's Crocodile = 7 zoos
New Guinea Crocodile = 6 zoos
Yacare Caiman = 6 zoos
Orinoco Crocodile = 5 zoos

Up next: One more post about crocodilians.

Which species are you referring to by 'New Guinea Crocodile'? In 2019 they were split into two species - true C. novaeguineae north of the central highlands and C. halli to the south. They're quite similar, but if I recall correctly they are distinguishable by osteoderm anatomy.

 

[snowleopard]

Which species are you referring to by 'New Guinea Crocodile'? In 2019 they were split into two species - true C. novaeguineae north of the central highlands and C. halli to the south. They're quite similar, but if I recall correctly they are distinguishable by osteoderm anatomy.

Zootierliste only has 3 zoos in the world as having Hall's New Guinea Crocodile (one in Denmark and two in the USA) and so very few zoo nerds on this site have seen that species in captivity. The ones I've viewed have been C. novaeguineae and I've seen all 24 traditional crocodilian species but not the recent splits.

It would be interesting to know which zoo in the world has the most crocodilian species these days. St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in northern Florida, USA? Krokodile Zoo on an island in Denmark in a town (Eskilstrup) of only a thousand people? Crocodile Zoo in Protivin, Czech Republic?

 

[DJD Zoo Pals]

Looking back at the documentation I have from my visit in June of this year, right now St. Augustine is only missing four of the 28 currently recognized extant crocodilian species: the central African slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops leptorhynchus), Congo dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus osborni), northern New Guinea crocodile (Crocodylus novaeguineae), and the false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii).

 

[snowleopard]

I've seen a TON of chelonian species in my many years of touring zoos around the world. I don't know how many different turtles and tortoises I've ever viewed, but it would likely be a substantial number.

I can think of THREE instances in particular when I saw a lot of chelonians at a single time. One would be when I toured the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium (USA) in 2014 as at that time the facility had a temporary gallery called Turtles: Secrets of the Shell and in the space of an hour I saw the following 74 species, and they were all easy to view in small tanks.

African Dwarf Mud Turtle, African Forest Turtle, African Pancake Tortoise, Alligator Snapping Turtle, American Red-Bellied Turtle, Annam Leaf Turtle, Asian Brown Tortoise, Asian Softshell Turtle, Asian Yellow Pond Turtle, Aubry’s Flapshell Turtle, Australian Snake-Necked Turtle, Black Greek Tortoise, Barbour’s Map Turtle, Caspian Pond Turtle, Central American Painted Turtle, Chaco Tortoise, Chinese Big-Headed Turtle, Chinese Three-Keeled Pond Turtle, Common Helmeted Tortoise, Diamondback Terrapin, East African Serrated Mud Turtle, Eastern Box Turtle, Eastern Pond Turtle, Elongated Tortoise, Fly River Turtle, Four-Eyed Turtle, Geoffrey’s Side-Necked Turtle, Giant Asian Pond Turtle, Giant South American River Turtle, Golden Thread Turtle, Gopher Tortoise, Hamilton’s (Spotted) Pond Turtle, Hieroglyphic River Cooter, Japanese Pond Turtle, Leopard Tortoise, Malaysian Pond Turtle, Mata Mata, Murray River Turtle, New Guinea Snapping Turtle, Nile Softshell Turtle, Northern Australia Snapping Turtle, Ouchita Map Turtle, Pacific Pond Turtle, Peninsula Cooter, Razorback Musk Turtle, Red-Bellied Short-Neck Turtle, Red-Checked Mud Turtle, Red-Eared Slider, Red-Headed Amazon River Turtle, Reimann’s Snake-Neck Turtle, Savanna Side-Necked Turtle, Saw-Shelled Turtle, Schultze’s Side-Neck Turtle, Scorpion Mud Turtle, Short-Necked Turtle, Smooth Softshell Turtle, Spiny Hill Turtle, Spiny Softshell Turtle, Southeast Asian Box Turtle, Spot-Bellied Side-Necked Turtle, Spotted Turtle, Star Tortoise, Stinkpot Turtle, Striped Mud Turtle, Texas Tortoise, Tuberculate Toad-Headed Turtle, West African Mud Turtle, Western Toad-Headed Turtle, Wood Turtle, Yellow-Bellied Slider, Yellow-Blotched Map Turtle, Yellow-Headed Temple Turtle, Yellow Mud Turtle and Yellow-Spotted Amazon River Turtle.

The second occasion when I saw a mountain of chelonians was in 2019 at the Stichting Schildpaddencentrum (Foundation Turtle Center) (Netherlands) and I didn't make a species list as every single sign was only in Dutch, but speaking to a staff member I was told that I had seen 80 species during my visit and the establishment had circa 2,000 chelonians over the building's two levels.

The third time was at Tennessee Aquarium (USA) in 2010 as that facility is regularly listed as having circa 80 species of turtles and tortoises. Even zoos like San Diego, Omaha, Bronx and Columbus all have 30-40 chelonian species at one time.

For the purposes of this thread, I'm going to provide comprehensive lists of only TWO species: Aldabra Tortoise and Galapagos Tortoise.

From what I can figure out, I've seen Aldabra Tortoises at 74 zoos. These gigantic tortoises have proven to be super common in famous, AZA-accredited American zoos, as I saw the species 9 times in 2008 and 17 times in 2010 while touring recognizable establishments that most zoo nerds would know very well. Aldabra Tortoises weren't quite as common for me in European and Asian zoos, but they still popped up a number of times while I was on long treks on those continents.

1- Zurich Zoo (Switzerland) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2003
2- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2007
3- Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2007
4- Melbourne Zoo (Australia) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2007
5- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2008
6- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2008
7- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2008
8- Knoxville Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2008
9- Zoo Atlanta (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2008
10- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2008
11- Phoenix Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2008
12- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2008
13- Zoo Miami (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2008
14- Sedgwick County Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
15- Tulsa Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
16- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
17- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
18- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
19- Louisville Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
20- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
21- Binder Park Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
22- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
23- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
24- Birmingham Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
25- Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
26- Dallas Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
27- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
28- ABQ BioPark Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
29- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
30- Zoo Boise (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2010
31- Oakland Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2011
32- Charles Paddock Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2011
33- Reid Park Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2011
34- Blank Park Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2012
35- Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2012
36- Virginia Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2012
37- Palm Beach Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2012
38- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2012
39- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2012
40- Dickerson Park Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2012
41- Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2012
42- Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2012
43- Reptile Gardens (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2014
44- Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2014
45- Henry Vilas Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2014
46- Peoria Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2014
47- Aquatica San Antonio (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2015
48- Abilene Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2015
49- Reptile Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2017
50- Creature Conservancy Wildlife Park (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2018
51- Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2019
52- Lille Zoo (France) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2019
53- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2019
54- Tierpark + Fossilium Bochum (Germany) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2019
55- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2019
56- Krefeld Zoo (Germany) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2019
57- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2019
58- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2019
59- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2019
60- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2019
61- Ree Park Safari (Denmark) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2022
62- Odense Zoo (Denmark) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2022
63- Parken Zoo (Sweden) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2022
64- Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2023
65- Khao Kheow Open Zoo (Thailand) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2024
66- Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2024
67- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2024
68- Taman Safari III Bali (Indonesia) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2024
69- Taman Safari II Prigen (Indonesia) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2024
70- Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2024
71- Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2024
72- Faunaland Ancol (Indonesia) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2024
73- Taman Mini Indonesia Indah: Reptile Park (Indonesia) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2024
74- Bronx Zoo (USA) – Aldabra Tortoise – 2025

Phoenix Zoo (USA) is a memorable zoo for Aldabra Tortoises as the enclosure always reminds me of something that would contain a much larger species.

When I was at Louisville Zoo (USA) in 2010, I saw Aldabra Tortoises mixed with Demoiselle Cranes (!!) in the Islands complex.

Multiple American zoos have had both Aldabra and Galapagos Tortoises together in the same exhibit. One example of that would be Baton Rouge Zoo (USA), with a minimal barrier surrounding the enclosure.

Occasionally, giant tortoises will end up in Children's Zoos, as was the case at San Antonio Zoo (USA) in 2010 when I saw Aldabra Tortoises in the Tiny Tot Nature Spot.

Utah's Hogle Zoo (USA) had Aldabra Tortoises and Leopard Tortoises together in a boring chain-link yard back in 2010.

Housing Aldabra Tortoises in zoos sees the animals on a range of different substrates, from grassy meadows to sandy areas to dirt patches. A nice grass yard is seen below at Virginia Zoo (USA):

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) had Aldabra Tortoises mixed with waterfowl (perhaps some wild?) when I was there in 2012. If given a substantial water source, often the tortoises will use it on a daily basis.

A truly memorable building for Aldabra Tortoises can be seen at Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo (USA). How wonderful is this structure? I love it!

At Abilene Zoo (USA) in 2015, I saw Aldabra Tortoises inside an aviary with Trumpeter Hornbills.

Europe is home to many large Tortoise Houses, such as this one for Aldabra Tortoises at Berlin Tierpark (Germany). I like the look of this one as it's quite stylish.

You simply don't see that many big Tortoise Houses in North American zoos, or else the indoor quarters are off show to the public. That's certainly not the case in Europe, with Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) another example of a spacious indoor Aldabra Tortoise structure where visitors can walk around indoors.

@Mr Gharial

Odense Zoo (Denmark) is yet another example, and I counted 13 Aldabra Tortoises when I was there in 2022. It's actually quite enjoyable to relax in a warm greenhouse watching tortoises do their thing.

@twilighter

Then there's Southeast Asia, where one really doesn't need extensive indoor housing for Aldabra Tortoises. Here's the large outdoor paddock for that species at Khao Kheow Open Zoo (Thailand).

Zoo Negara (Malaysia) has an interesting outdoor exhibit for Aldabra Tortoises that is surrounded by glass walls. It's great for young children but probably a nightmare to clean for keepers!

I'm doubtful that there's even indoor accommodation at Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) for that zoo's Aldabra Tortoises. Is it needed in Southeast Asia? One can imagine some days of intense rain during the wet season and so perhaps there's some shelter somewhere outside of the frame of my photo.

Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia) has an Aldabra Tortoise exhibit that is almost entirely covered to the elements. There's glass viewing at the front, tall walls all around, and part of the ceiling is a metal grid. It's all rather odd and possibly the tortoises are not the original occupants.

Aldabra Tortoises can be seen at the Bronx Zoo (USA) near the Zoo Center area.

Up next: Galapagos Tortoises (the only other chelonian I'll post about)