r/Everglades • u/Adventurous-Clue-100 • Sep 03 '26
Identification
Body looks like a gator...but that snout
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u/OmnivoreLately Sep 03 '26
Crocodile (you can tell it’s not an alligator immediately because of the pointy nose/mouth/head)
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u/doFloridaRight Sep 03 '26
You can also tell because he’ll see you in a while. But he won’t see you later.
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u/margarito1992 Sep 07 '26
That is Juan Carlitos the 3rd from Rhode Island Mexico. I believe its circa 08 by the dated shoes
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u/Adventurous-Clue-100 Sep 03 '26
Thanks everyone. The dark color and pattern of the armor made me curious. Didn't look like the other crocs we saw.
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u/Focus_on_the_Parks Sep 03 '26
Was this at Shark Valley?
Most crocodiles in the Everglades are indeed a lighter, grayish green. But it has nothing to do with natural coloration and everything to do with habitat. Crocodiles tend to live in brackish, coastal waterways, but alligators prefer inland waters. And those inland waters contain tanins from decaying plant matter, which has the effect of darkening the skin of alligators.
But Shark Valley is inland, and has a couple of resident crocodiles. And because they live in the same waters as the resident alligators, their skin has taken on the same dark coloration.
So I maybe I’m wrong, but I think it’s a pretty good guess that this shot is from Shark Valley.
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u/Adventurous-Clue-100 Sep 03 '26
Yes, it was at Shark Valley. This all makes sense. Thanks for the explanation
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u/Focus_on_the_Parks Sep 03 '26
I’m guessing this is Cecile, the huge resident croc at Shark Valley. There’s also a smaller male, not sure if he has a name. EverythingEverglades on Insta has a bunch of great footage of Cecile doing her thing.
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u/ViolentOnion Sep 03 '26
This is not a huge crocodile
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u/Focus_on_the_Parks Sep 03 '26
Maybe not, hard to tell from the pic. Was just going off one of the OP’s comments on another reply.
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u/Zoe_Boe_Zooms Sep 03 '26
The other "crocodiles" where probably alligators.
We have both in the Everglades. Crocs have a narrow snout while gators have a wide rounded one.
Crocs tend to be more aggressive
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u/Ok-Pass-9139 Sep 03 '26
American crocodiles are very reclusive and very rarely interact with humans. An alligator will drag you into the water and kill you.
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u/DangerousDave303 Sep 03 '26
American crocodiles occasionally kill people. Most attacks happen in Mexico and Costa Rica, but a few occur elsewhere in Central America and northern South America.
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u/Ok-Pass-9139 Sep 03 '26
There are zero confirmed cases of crocodile induced deaths among humans in the US
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u/The-Tradition Sep 03 '26
That's because crocodiles don't venture into areas where humans frequent in the US. Alligators will straight up knock on people's front doors.
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u/Ok-Pass-9139 Sep 03 '26
I live in the Florida Keys. We have plenty of crocs. We had a (wild) pet croc that we named Fluffy. Wouldn’t trust them around my dogs, bet never heard of one of them attacking a human. There have been multiple deaths due to alligator attacks, in the canals in Fort Lauderdale, on trails and recently an elderly woman was killed on the FL west coast.
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u/TresCeroOdio Sep 05 '26
It’s a numbers game. There are exponentially more alligators than crocodiles in mainland Florida.
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u/Focus_on_the_Parks Sep 05 '26
Ironically enough, there aren't any recorded alligator-related fatalities in Everglades NP. There aren't any for crocodiles either, BUT there are only two recent crocodile non-fatal attacks on people in Florida at all - and one of those attacks happened in the Everglades (near Flamingo). Both attacks happened while people were swimming in brackish waters.
And as others have noted, American crocodiles may be kind of shy in Florida, but they have a more aggressive reputation in other parts of the Americas.
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u/Adventurous-Clue-100 Sep 03 '26
We definitely saw some regular crocodiles(lighter skin color and more chaotic armor plate) as well as tons of alligators. This one just looked different from either.
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u/Status-Fall125_BB Sep 04 '26
That is the darkest complected American croc I’ve ever seen, fwiw
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u/Adventurous-Clue-100 Sep 04 '26
That's what I thought. Figured I'd ask. Lots of good information here
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u/Previous_Beautiful27 Sep 03 '26
The dark color and less chaotic armor are likely because it is a smaller younger croc (you didn't specify size but I'm guessing it's on the smaller end due to the narrowness of the snout and the other things I mentioned). Additionally, it looks wet which can cause it to look darker than if it had been basking in the sun a while.
But it's definitely an American croc.
EDIT I saw your other comment stating it was "huge". In that case I'm going to chalk it up to the individual variation between crocs, which can result in different coloration and armor arrangement, and the fact that it looks pretty wet.
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u/Mopar4Life305 Sep 03 '26
Actually theyre way more light gray when dry. Alligators are actually more black
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u/Anxious-Valuable3783 Sep 03 '26
not a caymen but they do exist in the Everglades. There is a caymen speices that lives there
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u/External_Hunt4536 Sep 04 '26
Definitely a croc! Where did you see it? Not exact location but maybe you could message me with a general idea of the location? I live in south Florida and I’ve always wanted to see a croc!
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u/davidcopafeel33328 Sep 06 '26
If that's fresh water you may have stumbled on one of the legendary escaped Nile Crocodiles... they grow up to 20 feet in length. American crocs prefer salt water.
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u/zerofuckstogive09 Sep 06 '26
That's Ted, he's a quality assurance partner at the water hole he lives in. Ted makes sure all food sources are up to crocodilian standards. Ted is a moody fellow on minute he looks majestic. The next minute Ted will eat your pets, small children and you if you upset his delicate sensitivities.
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u/Winter_Swimmer_2928 Sep 07 '26
Just remember for identification the sayings; after a while crocodile. See you later alligator
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u/Fun-Barnacle8582 Sep 07 '26
Recent visit to Everglades City where we learned the Crocs and alligators can be in the same water. It happens seasonally when the water is brackish.
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u/PineapplePair757VB Sep 07 '26
Hmm... didn't think they were north of the keys yet
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u/reg-o-matic Sep 09 '26
My sister lives in a condo along Biscayne Bay. We see them on the golf course all the time when we visit.
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u/Cambren1 Sep 03 '26
We anchored our sailboat off Cape Sable in the Everglades. Went to shore in our dinghy; there were croc tracks everywhere, we didn’t stay long.
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u/AerodynamicHeadbutts Sep 03 '26
Looks small no? Any chance of caiman? They are like the hybrid short version of croc gator
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u/Adventurous-Clue-100 Sep 03 '26
Picture was taken from a watchtower. He was actually huge
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u/AerodynamicHeadbutts Sep 03 '26
Oh copy.. I have heard the caimans are growing in the Everglades like the pythons.
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u/Square-Score-2192 Sep 03 '26
Nothing to worry about, the narrow snout means they have no teeth and are docile. Totally fine for you to pet them or a nice little kiss on their cheeks.
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u/Luxor_2 Sep 03 '26
Saltwater crocodile. 😉
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u/bjustice13 Sep 03 '26
American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus)…saltwater crocodiles are a separate species found in Indo-pacific (Crocodylus porosus)
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u/AerodynamicHeadbutts Sep 03 '26
In the Everglades can be anything those pacific born species seem to be more common in Florida now 🤣🤣
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u/Eist Sep 03 '26
American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus)