What Crocodilians Have You Seen?

[twilighter]

I have seen all traditional 24 species at Krokodille Zoo in Denmark and none of the resent splits - Osborn's dwarf crocodile, Borneo crocodile, Central African slender-snouted crocodile and Hall's New Guinea crocodile. Krokodille Zoo got the Hall's New Guinea crocodile after my visit and is not impossible, if they have Central AND West African slender-snouted crocodile blood.

 

[Austin the Sengi]

After some careful consideration, I can confirm that I have seen the following crocodilians across a multitude of facilities. With the American Alligator being the only species I’ve seen in the wild thus far:

Alligatoridae
Alligators & Kin (2; for certain)
• American Alligator / Alligator mississippiensis
• Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman / Palaeosuchus palpebrosus

Crocodylidae
Crocodiles & Kin (8; for certain)
• American Crocodile / Crocodylus acutus
• Nile Crocodile / Crocodylus niloticus ssp.
• Orinoco Crocodile / Crocodylus intermedius
• Saltwater Crocodile / Crocodylus porosus
• Cuban Crocodile / Crocodylus rhombifer
• Siamese Crocodile / Crocodylus siamensis
• West African Slender-Snouted Crocodile / Mecistops cataphractus
• Dwarf Crocodile / Osteolaemus tetraspis ssp.

Gavialiade
Gharials & Kin (2):
Gharial / Gavialis gangeticus
Tomistoma / Tomistoma schlegelii


In total, I’ve confidently seen 12 species of crocodilian out of the traditional 24 (including most splits), which is roughly equivalent to 36% at the moment.

As for the remaining crocodilians, a return trip to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm in Florida is well overdue; especially since my original visit was before my ZooChat days in early 2020.

 

[RatioTile]

I just photographed Black Caiman 2 days ago, so here's my list of 23 species seen and photographed now. Under the pre-split system, I'm only missing Mugger Crocodile.

Alligatoridae
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) - wild and captive, including wild hatchlings
Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis)
Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus)
Broad-Snouted Caiman (Caiman latirostris)
Yacare Caiman (Caiman yacare)
Black Caiman (Melanosuchus niger)
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus)
Smooth-Fronted Caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus)

Crocodylidae
American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) - wild and captive, including wild hatchlings
Orinoco Crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius)
Freshwater Crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni)
Philippine Crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis)
Morelet's Crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii)
Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
New Guinea Crocodile (Crocodylus novaeguineae)
Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)
Cuban Crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer)
Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis)
West African Crocodile (Crocodylus suchus)
West African Slender-Snouted Crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus)
Dwarf Crocodile (Osteolaemus testraspis)

Gavialidae
Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
False Gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii)

 

[DesertRhino150]

These are the crocodilians I have seen, and where I first saw them (that I know of):

• African slender-snouted crocodile (a hybrid, as far as I know) - Colchester Zoo
• American alligator - Colchester Zoo
• American crocodile - Wild in Costa Rica
• Broad-snouted caiman - Wilhelma
• Cuban crocodile - Colchester Zoo
• Cuvier's dwarf caiman - Call of the Wild Zoo (in a public collection - I saw one a long time ago at a pet store in Essex that was a not-for-sale display animal)
• Dwarf crocodile (don't know the exact species) - Bristol and ZSL Whipsnade
• False gharial - Call of the Wild Zoo
• Morelet's crocodile - Maybe Cotswold Wildlife Park, definitely seen at Jimmy's Farm
• Nile crocodile - Probably Poole Serpentarium, if not then probably Rotterdam
• Philippine crocodile - ZSL London Zoo
• Saltwater crocodile - Paignton Zoo
• Spectacled caiman - Call of the Wild Zoo

Surprisingly added two species that I didn't know I'd seen when I just started this list - I had completely forgotten that I had seen broad-snouted caiman or saltwater crocodile before.

 

[Eletan888]

Alligatoridae

• American Alligator
• Chinese Alligator
• Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman
• Smooth-Fronted Caiman
  
• Spectacled Caiman

Crocodylidae

• Cuban Crocodile
• Nile Crocodile
• Orinoco Crocodile
• Philippine Crocodile
• Saltwater
• Siamese Crocodile
• West African Dwarf Crocodile
• West African Slender-Snouted Crocodile

Gavialidae

• Gharial
• Tomistoma

 

[EagleScout610]

Off the top of my head -

Alligator

• Chinese Alligator
• American Alligator
• Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman

Crocodile

• Saltwater Crocodile (Toledo)
• Dwarf Crocodile

Gharial

• Gharial

 

[Portsmouthcrocohunter]

American Alligator- Zoo Parc Beauval
Chinses Alligator-London Zoo
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman - To many to count
Dwarf Crocodile-Marwell, Whipsnade
False Gharial- Zoo Parc Beauval
Slender-Snouted-Crocodile- Blijdorp
Nile Crocodile- Bijdorp
Smooth-Fronted-Caiman-Natur Aquarium

 

[Portsmouthcrocohunter]

American Alligator- Zoo Parc Beauval
Chinses Alligator-London Zoo
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman - To many to count
Dwarf Crocodile-Marwell, Whipsnade
False Gharial- Zoo Parc Beauval
Slender-Snouted-Crocodile- Blijdorp
Nile Crocodile- Bijdorp
Smooth-Fronted-Caiman-Natur Aquarium

Oh and Philippine Crocodile-London Zoo

 

[Austin the Sengi]

{UPDATE}

Alligatoridae
Alligators & Kin (3; for certain)

• American Alligator / Alligator mississippiensis
• Chinese Alligator / Alligator sinensis
• Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman / Palaeosuchus palpebrosus


Crocodylidae
Crocodiles & Kin (8; for certain)

• American Crocodile / Crocodylus acutus
• Nile Crocodile / Crocodylus niloticus ssp.
• Orinoco Crocodile / Crocodylus intermedius
• Saltwater Crocodile / Crocodylus porosus
• Cuban Crocodile / Crocodylus rhombifer
• Siamese Crocodile / Crocodylus siamensis
• West African Slender-Snouted Crocodile / Mecistops cataphractus
• Dwarf Crocodile / Osteolaemus tetraspis ssp.


Gavialiade
Gharials & Kin (2):

Gharial / Gavialis gangeticus
Tomistoma / Tomistoma schlegelii


In total, I can now say with certainty that I’ve seen 13 species of crocodilian out of the traditional 24 (including most splits), which is roughly equivalent to 37% at the moment.

(Underlined Italics - seen in both captivity and in the wild)
(Bold - newly added)

 

[DaLilFishie]

Update to mine, with two new species.

Saltwater Crocodile Crocodylus porosus - wild, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, Cairns Aquarium, Billabong Sanctuary, Zoo 2 You HQ (closed), Cairns Wildlife Dome (closed), Taronga Zoo Sydney, SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (signed but not seen), Perth Zoo (signed but not seen), Wildlife Habitat, Ueno Zoo

Freshwater Crocodile Crocodylus johnstoni - Cairns Aquarium, Taronga Zoo Sydney, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Kuranda Koala Gardens, Cairns Wildlife Dome (closed), Hartley's Crocodile Adventures

Northern New Guinea Crocodile Crocodylus novaeguineae (sensu stricto) - Billabong Sanctuary

West African Dwarf Crocodile Osteolaemus tetraspis - Ueno Zoo, Kyoto City Zoo

American Alligator Alligator mississippiensis - Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, Billabong Sanctuary

False Gharial Tomistoma schlegelii - Ueno Zoo

 

[elefante]

The ones in bold I've seen in the wild and captivity.
American Alligator-many zoos and in the wild in North Carolina
American Crocodile-In the wild in Costa Rica, Disney's Animal Kingdom, and I'm pretty sure in Reptile Gardens in South Dakota.
Nile Crocodile-Disney's Animal Kingdom and in the wild in Kenya
Unknown caiman species-in the wild in Costa Rica
Chinese Alligator-Detroit Zoo and Reptile Gardens
Saltwater Crocodile-Reptile Gardens
Siamese Crocodile-Hogle Zoo
Dwarf Crocodile-Detroit, Henry Doorly Zoo, Reptile Gardens, possibly Brookfield Zoo (many years ago)
Spectacled Caiman-Henry Doorly Zoo
Cuban Crocodile-Reptile Gardens

 

[Austin the Sengi]

{UPDATE}

Alligatoridae
Alligators & Kin (4; for certain)

• American Alligator / Alligator mississippiensis
• Chinese Alligator / Alligator sinensis
• Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman / Paleosuchus palpebrosus
• Smooth-Fronted Caiman / Paleosuchus trigonatus


Crocodylidae
Crocodiles & Kin (8; for certain)

• American Crocodile / Crocodylus acutus
• Nile Crocodile / Crocodylus niloticus ssp.
• Orinoco Crocodile / Crocodylus intermedius
• Saltwater Crocodile / Crocodylus porosus
• Cuban Crocodile / Crocodylus rhombifer
• Siamese Crocodile / Crocodylus siamensis
• West African Slender-Snouted Crocodile / Mecistops cataphractus
• Dwarf Crocodile / Osteolaemus tetraspis ssp.


Gavialiade
Gharials & Kin (2):

Gharial / Gavialis gangeticus
Tomistoma / Tomistoma schlegelii


Currently, I can say with certainty that I have now seen 14 species of crocodilian out of the traditional 24 (including most splits), which is roughly equivalent to 38% at the moment.

(Underlined Italics - seen in both captivity and in the wild)
(Bold - newly added)

 

[biggest_dreamer]

Alligators: 2/2
American Alligator
Chinese Alligator

Caimans: 2/6
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman
Spectacled Caiman

Crocodiles: 10/18
Saltwater Crocodile
Nile Crocodile
American Crocodile
Siamese Crocodile
Orinoco Crocodile
Morelet's Crocodile
Cuban Crocodile
Philippine Crocodile
Dwarf Crocodile
West African Slender-Snouted Crocodile

Gavials: 2/2
Tomistoma
Gharial

 

[HumanLandfill]

1. American alligator
2. Chinese alligator
3. False Gharial
4. Gharial
5a) South African Nile crocodile
5b) Malagasy Nile crocodile
6. Cuban crocodile
7. American crocodile
8. West African dwarf crocodile
9. Cuvier’s dwarf caiman
10. Spectacled caiman
11. Broad-snouted caiman

 

[snowleopard]

I have seen all traditional 24 species at Krokodille Zoo in Denmark and none of the resent splits - Osborn's dwarf crocodile, Borneo crocodile, Central African slender-snouted crocodile and Hall's New Guinea crocodile. Krokodille Zoo got the Hall's New Guinea crocodile after my visit and is not impossible, if they have Central AND West African slender-snouted crocodile blood.

I'm in the exact same situation. I've seen all the traditional 24 species but not the recent splits. What zoo in the world has the most crocodilian species these days?

This is what I posted on my Snowleopard's Mammals thread:

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

 

[captain alligator]

I'll post some photos of crocodilians I've seen at zoos so far.

Crocodylidae
Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) - Ueno Zoo

Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) May 3, 2025

• captain alligator
• 23 Aug 2025

West African Dwarf Crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) - Ueno Zoo

West African Dwarf Crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) April 12, 2025

• captain alligator
• 23 Aug 2025

Alligatoridae
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) - Tennōji Zoo

American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) August 8, 2025

• captain alligator
• 14 Oct 2025
• 2

Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis) - Nogeyama Zoo

Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis) June 21, 2025

• captain alligator
• 7 Oct 2025

Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) - Tobu Zoo

Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) - Tobu Zoo November 15, 2025

• captain alligator
• 15 Nov 2025

Smooth-Fronted Caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus) - Kobe Animal Kingdom

Smooth-fronted caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus) August 4, 2025

• captain alligator
• 23 Aug 2025

Gavialidae
Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) - Nogeyama Zoo

Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) March 2, 2025

• captain alligator
• 23 Aug 2025

One of the few three Gharial kept in Japanese zoo

Sunda Gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) - Ueno Zoo

Sunda Gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) May 3, 2025

• captain alligator
• 23 Aug 2025

 

[DaLilFishie]

I'll post some photos of crocodilians I've seen at zoos so far.
Crocodylidae
Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) - Ueno Zoo

Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) May 3, 2025

• captain alligator
• 23 Aug 2025

West African Dwarf Crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) - Ueno Zoo

West African Dwarf Crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) April 12, 2025

• captain alligator
• 23 Aug 2025

Alligatoridae
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) - Tennōji Zoo

American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) August 8, 2025

• captain alligator
• 14 Oct 2025
• 2

Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis) - Nogeyama Zoo

Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis) June 21, 2025

• captain alligator
• 7 Oct 2025

Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) - Tobu Zoo

Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) - Tobu Zoo November 15, 2025

• captain alligator
• 15 Nov 2025

Smooth-Fronted Caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus) - Kobe Animal Kingdom

Smooth-fronted caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus) August 4, 2025

• captain alligator
• 23 Aug 2025

Gavialidae
Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) - Nogeyama Zoo

Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) March 2, 2025

• captain alligator
• 23 Aug 2025

One of the few three Gharial kept in Japanese zoo

Sunda Gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) - Ueno Zoo

Sunda Gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) May 3, 2025

• captain alligator
• 23 Aug 2025

Nice collection of photos!

I think I should add photos to my list:

Saltwater Crocodile Crocodylus porosus - wild, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, Cairns Aquarium, Billabong Sanctuary, Zoo 2 You HQ (closed), Cairns Wildlife Dome (closed), Taronga Zoo Sydney, SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (signed but not seen), Perth Zoo (signed but not seen), Wildlife Habitat, Ueno Zoo

C. porosus at Billabong Sanctuary, during a feeding show

Hatchling C. porosus at Cairns Aquarium

Freshwater Crocodile Crocodylus johnstoni - Cairns Aquarium, Taronga Zoo Sydney, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Kuranda Koala Gardens, Cairns Wildlife Dome (closed), Hartley's Crocodile Adventures

C. johnstoni at Hartley's Crocodile Adventures

Northern New Guinea Crocodile Crocodylus novaeguineae (sensu stricto) - Billabong Sanctuary

C. novaeguineae at Billabong Sanctuary

West African Dwarf Crocodile Osteolaemus tetraspis - Ueno Zoo, Kyoto City Zoo

O. tetraspis at Kyoto City Zoo. Not a great photo but it's the best I have of this species!

American Alligator Alligator mississippiensis - Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, Billabong Sanctuary

A. mississippiensis at Hartley's Crocodile Adventures

False Gharial Tomistoma schlegelii - Ueno Zoo

T. schlegelii at Ueno Zoo

 

[JigerofLemuria]

Meh, why not jump on this latest trend?

• Indian gharial (Gavialis gangeticus): Singapore Night Safari, Prague and Berlin Zoo

• Sunda gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii): Barcelona (till approx. 2004), Singapore, Bronx and Leipzig zoo and Tierpark Berlin

• Slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops Cataphractus): American Museum of Natural History (temporary exhibition in 2016), Oceanografic Valencia and Reserve Africaine de Sigean

• Dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis): Barcelona zoo, Aqualeon (possibly?), Bioparc Valencia, American Museum of Natural History (temporary exhibition in 2016), Whipsnade zoo, Prague crocodile zoo, Aquazoo Düsseldorf, Reserve Africaine de Sigean, Tierpark Hellabrunn, Zoo Karlsruhe, Der Grüner Zoo Wuppertal

• Johnstone's crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni): Taronga, Prague crocodile and Frankfurt Zoo, Aquazoo Düsseldorf, Wilhelma

• Saltwater crocodile (C. porosus): Barcelona, Taronga and Singapore zoos, Wilhelma

• Philippine crocodile (C. mindorensis): London and Köln zoo

• Siamese crocodile (C. siamensis): Barcelona zoo and American Museum of Natural History (temporary exhibition in 2016)

• Nile crocodile (C. niloticus): Barcelona (till approx. 2004) and Lisbon zoo, CRARC, Faunia, Bronx, Prague crocodile and Köln zoos and Tierpark Hagenbeck

• Cuban crocodile (C. rhombifer): Barcelona (till approx. 2010, behind the scenes since then), Bronx and Prague crocodile zoo

• Morelet's crocodile (C. moreleti): Barcelona (till approx. 2018) and Prague crocodile zoos.

• American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis): Barcelona (till approx. 2004), Lisbon, Auckland and Bronx zoos, American Museum of Natural History (temporary exhibition in 2016) Prague crocodile zoo and Reserve Africaine de Sigean

• Chinese alligator (A. sinensis): Barcelona zoo, Ocean Park Hong Kong, Bronx and Prague crocodile zoos

• Spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodylus): Barcelona zoo (till around 2018), BCN aquarium (till around 2010), Aqualeón (possibly?), CRARC, Faunia, Prague crocodile zoo, Berlin and Osnabrück zoos

• Yacare caiman (C. yacare): Barcelona zoo

• Broad-snouted caiman (C. latirostris): Barcelona zoo, Wilhelma

• Cuvier’s dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus): Barcelona zoo, Madrid Zoo-Aquarium (2016), Central Park and Prague crocodile zoo

• Smooth-fronted caiman (P. trigonatus): Cosmocaixa (99% sure it’s this even if the signage says Cuvier), Berlin zoo, Düsseldorf Aqua-zoo, Salzburg and Krefeld Zoo

NO PHOTOS OF:
American crocodile (C. acutus): Berlin Zoo (circa 2006)
Mugger crocodile (C. palustris): Barcelona zoo (till approx. 2004)
Desert crocodile (C. suchus): Dublin zoo

 

[Randomname0183]

While I cannot provide as many photos like the previous posts have, I can meanwhile give a list:
American crocodile: Chapultepec Zoo, Parque del Este
Dwarf Crocodile: Whipsnade Zoo, Bioparc Valencia, Sea Life London
Nile Crocodile: Lisbon Zoo, Bioparc Valencia (pictured here), Faunia Madrid, Noah's Ark Zoo Farm

Orinoco Crocodile: Parque Del Este
Philippine Corocidle: Singapore Zoo, Bergen Aquarium, London Zoo
Siamese Crocodile: Singapore Zoo
Slender Snouted Crocodile: Oceanografic Valencia (Pictured here)

American Alligator: Pairi Daiza, Lisbon Zoo, Rio Safari Elche
Broad Snouted Caiman: Bergen Aquarium
Chinese Alligator: Pairi Daiza, Singapore Zoo
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman: Chapultepec Zoo, Bergen Aquarium
Smooth Fronted Caiman: Bergen Aquarium
Spectacled Caiman: Bergen Aquairum, Pairi Daiza, Parque Del Este, Faunia Madrid
False Gharial: Singapore Zoo
Gharial: Singapore Zoo, Pairi Daiza

Totalling to 15/26 of the recognised species. Also was surprised to see how the relatively quaint collection that is Bergen Aquarium had no less than 5 of the 15 species on my list, including relative rarities like broad snouted caiman, smooth fronted caiman and philippine crocodiles.