The West African crocodile, desert crocodile, or sacred crocodile (Crocodylus suchus) is a species of crocodile related to — and often confused with — the larger and more aggressive Nile crocodile (C. niloticus).
The muzzle is short and thick. The distance between the eyes and the tip of the muzzle is 1.5 to 2 times longer than the width of the muzzle at the level of the front edge of the eyes (1.2 to 1.5 times in case of juveniles). The coloration is generally brown to olive. Juveniles are paler, with black bandings, especially on the tail. Like all other species of crocodiles, the West African crocodile's eyes reflect light at night allowing it to be spotted easily through a flashlight. It is found to be active day and night. It can stay submerged underwater for more than 30 minutes, and can reach speeds of up to 30 km/h (19 mph) in short bursts. On land, it is often observed basking motionless in the sun, often with its mouth agape.
Compared to the Nile crocodile, which can grow over 5 m (16 ft 5 in) in length, the West African crocodile is smaller. It typically grows between 2 and 3 m (6 ft 7 in and 9 ft 10 in) in length, with an occasional male growing over 4 m (13 ft 1 in) in rare cases.[12] Adults weigh between 90 and 250 kg (200 and 550 lb), with particularly large male specimens exceeding 300 kg (660 lb) in weight.
In Mauritania it has adapted to the arid desert environment of the Sahara–Sahel by staying in caves or burrows in a state of aestivation during the driest periods, leading to the alternative common name desert crocodile. When it rains, these desert crocodiles gather at gueltas. In much of its range, the West African crocodile may come into contact with other crocodile species and there appears to be a level of habitat segregation between them. The Nile crocodile typically prefers large seasonal rivers in savannah or grassland, while the West African crocodile generally prefers lagoons and wetlands in forested regions, at least where the two species may come into contact. The details of this probable segregations remains to be confirmed for certain. In a study of habitat use by the three crocodile species in Liberia (West African, slender-snouted and dwarf), it was found that the West African crocodile typically occupied larger, more open waterways consisting of river basins and mangrove swamps, and was the species most tolerant of brackish waters. In comparison, the slender-snouted crocodile typically occupies rivers within forest interiors, while dwarf crocodiles are distributed in smaller rivers (mainly tributaries), streams and brooks also within forested areas.
