Why Are Orinoco Crocodiles Endangered?

Orinoco crocodile are native to Colombia and Venezuela. They became critically endangered due to hunting for their meat, skin and teeth (which is believed to have medicinal benefits).

How many Orinoco Crocodiles are left?

There are about 250 to 1500 Orinoco crocodiles left in the wild. Almost all of them can be found in Venezuela. The Orinoco crocodile population is listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red list.

Why are crocodiles critically endangered?

Occurring mostly outside of protected areas, crocodiles are threatened by hunting and habitat loss. Hatchling survival is also very low and there are not enough unspoilt water bodies for juvenile crocodiles to grow up in safety.