Slender-snouted Crocodile
CR

Slender-snouted Crocodile

Mecistops cataphractus

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_African_slender-snouted_crocodile

Overview

The West African slender-snouted crocodile, or slender-snouted crocodile, is a critically endangered species of African crocodile. It is one of five species of crocodile in Africa, the other four being the Central African slender-snouted, Nile, West African and dwarf crocodiles.

The West African slender-snouted crocodile faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive hunting for its valuable hide and meat, which has driven local extinctions across much of its historical range. Habitat destruction from deforestation, agricultural expansion, and dam construction has fragmented remaining populations and reduced suitable nesting sites. Water pollution from mining activities and agricultural runoff further degrades the freshwater ecosystems this species depends upon for survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

This crocodile inhabits freshwater rivers, streams, and forested swamps across West and Central Africa, preferring areas with dense vegetation cover along riverbanks. It favors slow-moving waters in tropical rainforest regions, particularly in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo.

Forest· majorSavanna· majorWetlands (inland)· majorWetlands (inland) - Bogs, marshes, swamps, fens· major

Conservation measures underway

Species reintroductionEx-situ conservationLegislation

Other threatened species in CROCODYLIDAE

Cuban CrocodileCR

Cuban Crocodile

Crocodylus rhombifer

Declining
CR

Philippine Crocodile

Crocodylus mindorensis

Declining
Siamese CrocodileCR

Siamese Crocodile

Crocodylus siamensis

Declining
MuggerVU

Mugger

Crocodylus palustris

Stable

Threatened in Angola

Angolan AdderVU

Angolan Adder

Bitis heraldica

Declining
Cape GannetEN

Cape Gannet

Morus capensis

Declining
Zebra DuikerVU

Zebra Duiker

Cephalophus zebra

Declining
Slaty EgretVU

Slaty Egret

Egretta vinaceigula

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Slender-snouted Crocodile classified as Critically Endangered?
Slender-snouted Crocodile is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The West African slender-snouted crocodile faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive hunting for its valuable hide and meat, which has driven local extinctions across much of its historical range. Habitat destruction from deforestation, agricultural expansion, and dam construction has fragmented remaining populations and reduced suitable nesting sites. Water pollution from mining activities and agricultural runoff further degrades the freshwater ecosystems this species depends upon for survival.
Where does Slender-snouted Crocodile live?
Slender-snouted Crocodile occurs in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Congo - Brazzaville (plus 14 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Slender-snouted Crocodile?
The main threats to Slender-snouted Crocodile are 5.1, 5.3, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.