Top 8 Largest Crocodiles Ever

Have you ever wondered what the largest crocodile ever was? Based on fossil evidence, the longest crocodile ever to live was a Sarcosuchus imperator, who measured 40 feet long and weighed 17,600 pounds.

The largest one ever officially measured was Lolong, who was a saltwater crocodile that measured 20 feet three inches long and weighed 2,370 pounds. Unfortunately, he died of congestive heart failure in February 2013. The largest crocodile alive is Cassius who is over 100 years old.

The saltwater crocodile Cassius measures 17 feet three inches long. While these modern crocodiles are huge, there are prehistoric ones that were much larger in size.

Scientists have to guess when it comes to how big prehistoric dinosaurs were as there are no accurate measurements from that time.

They can come close by measuring the length of the skull measured in the midline from the tip of the snout to the back of the skull table as there is a strong correlation in modern crocodiles when this measurement is used.

#8 Largest Crocodiles Ever: Purussaurus mirandai – 32 feet nine Inches

The first entry on our list of the biggest crocodiles that ever lived, the Purussaurus mirandai weighed about 5,700 pounds. This animal, which measured about 32 feet nine inches long, had a very unusual spine.

It has an extra vertebra in its pelvic area and one less in its trunk area. Scientists believe that is how this crocodile could carry all its weight. This crocodile lived in Venezuela about 7.5 million years ago.

#7 Largest Crocodiles Ever: Euthecodon brumpti – 33 Feet

The Euthecodon brumpti was a short-snout crocodile that lived in modern-day Africa during the Early Miocene to the Early Pleistocene periods.

One of the largest fossils by weight from this animal was found in Kenya. Fossils from this crocodile are some of the most commonly found in the Turkana Basin.

This crocodile may have lived from one to 8 million years ago in Lake Turkana where it ate fish. Scientists think this crocodile grew to be about 33 feet long.

#6 Largest Crocodiles Ever: Gryposuchus croizati – 33 Feet

The Gryposuchus croizati is estimated to have been 33 feet long, but some suggest this reptile could have been much longer. Some of the largest fossils from this animal have been found in the Urumaco Formation in Venezuela.

Those fossils indicate that this crocodile weighed about 3,850 pounds. They also believe that this animal lived during the Middle to Late Miocene period.

It may have gone extinct because nature went on to create a ravine system where they lived, which was a wetland area.

#5 Largest Crocodiles Ever: Deinosuchus – 35 Feet

The Deinosuchus probably grew to be about 35 feet long, and it may have been an early ancestor to the American alligator.

Evidence shows that this crocodile was abundant in the Eastern United States. The largest fossils by length have been found, however, in the Western United States. This suggests that they lived along the entire length of the Western Inland Seaway from 83 to 72 million years ago.

It is speculated that these creatures did in fact lay eggs. However, science assumes that they were also capable of flying at an early age. Young Deinosuchus was said to be able to flap but probably lost it as they aged due to weight.

The largest one ever officially found measured 20 feet 3 inches long and weighed 2,370 pounds.

This animal may have weighed up to 11,000 pounds. It was capable of crushing other dinosaurs but probably lived on a marine diet of fish. A special plate with holes in it allowed this croc to breathe while completely underwater.

#4 Largest Crocodiles Ever: Rhamphosuchus – 36 Feet

The Rhamphosuchus likely lived during the Miocene period in present-day Pakistan. This reptile likely grew to be about 36 feet in length, based on fossils collected by two archeologists in 1840.

This croc had a unique beak-like snout, so it is sometimes called the beak crocodile. Scientists believe that it ate mostly fish but was capable of hunting.

It may have regularly dined on other animals that came to the water holes where it lived. Scientists believe that this Indian crocodile who lived about one million years ago weighed about 6,000 pounds.

#3 Largest Crocodiles Ever: Mourasuchus – 39 Feet 4 Inches

There may be as many as 10 subspecies of Mourasuchus. These crocodiles scientists believe grew up to 39 feet four inches long, and had a unique duck-like face.

They lived in Venezuela and Brazil about six million years ago. Evidence suggests that they used their wide mouths to scoop up water and swallowed their prey whole.

While most species had very strong teeth, fossils show this one had very weak teeth that were very small. Eating a different diet than other crocodiles of the same period and location may have helped this croc grow so big as it could weigh up to 16,000 pounds.

#2 Largest Crocodiles Ever: Purussaurus brasilensis – 41 Feet

The runner-up on our list of the biggest crocodiles to walk the earth, the Purussaurus brasilensis weighed about 18,500 pounds. This crocodile that lived in the Late Miocene in South America was a carnivore. Due to its large size and giant teeth, it may have had very few animals that could harm it.

Scientists believe that this animal was able to exert 15,500 pounds of force with every bite. This species lived around where the Amazon River now flows, and changes in the ecosystem may have led to its demise.

As far as size goes, this gigantic croc is comparable in length to that of a tour bus. It’s also one of the largest reptiles to survive past the extinction of dinosaurs.

It was thought to consume up to 88 pounds of food a day and feed on a vast assortment of animals in its environment.

#1 Largest Crocodiles Ever: Sarcosuchus imperator – 41 Feet

Arguably, the biggest crocodile to ever live was the Sarcosuchus imperator, but scientists still debate if it is the biggest crocodile. The skull of this animal measures about five feet six inches long while its entire body measures about 41 feet long.

It had about 100 teeth, with ones sitting slightly inside the lower ones, like an overbite. This probably allowed this crocodile to hunt animals, although it is likely that its main diet consisted of fish.

Most fossils from this crocodile which may be the biggest one to ever live come from the Tenere Desert region of the Sahara Desert in Niger. It is likely this crocodile weighed about 17,600 pounds.

This reptile got a new armor plate for each year that it was alive. These plates helped protect it from predators. From studying the plates, scientists have concluded that it took about 55 years to reach its full size.

This crocodile’s snout ended in a unique bowl shape, which scientists believe it used to smell as its stiff neck made it hard to turn its neck.

Summary of the Top 8 Largest Crocodiles

Did Crocodiles and Dinosaurs Live Together?

The answer is yes! Crocodiles first coexisted with dinosaurs starting in the Triassic period, between 252 million to 201 million years ago. Crocs have been around for a long time, and research suggests they haven’t evolved very much physically since that time. So these crocs are actually ancient beings!

Whereas many dinos were larger than crocodiles, not all were, and research shows that crocs found some dinosaurs to be delicious! Scientists recently discovered the remains of the ancient croc and its well-preserved last meal in the Great Australian Super Basin.

It is estimated that this encounter between the dinosaur and the crocodile happened in the Cretaceous period, about 145.5 million to 65.5 million years ago. What exactly happened to the croc so quickly after its meal is unknown, but scientists were able to scan the gut of the animal to see the bones of an almost fully formed ornithopod inside.

This discovery provides the first definitive evidence showing that dinosaurs were eaten by ancient giant crocs. Previous discoveries include croc tooth marks on fossilized dinosaur bones and, in one case, a croc tooth embedded in bone, which hinted that some crocodilians dined on dinosaurs.

What Crocodile Has Killed the Most Humans?

Like something out of a horror movie or even one of Godzilla’s foes, Gustave, the Nile crocodile, is known for being a vicious man-eater and holds the record for having the most known human victims. It may come as no surprise, but the actual number of deaths caused by this infamous croc is basically a guess. It is an amount estimated between two hundred and three hundred individuals! This reptile has stricken fear for generations in the regions of Lake Tanganyika, Burundi and Ruzizi River.

Another surprising fact about this huge croc is that he tends to leave his victims’ bodies intact rather than eating them, as crocodiles do not necessarily have to eat too often.

Gustave’s age is also guessed, but the number that is mostly settled on is roughly sixty years old.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © HombreDHojalata / CC BY-SA 3.0 – License / Original