If you are one of those people who love animals, who are passionate about seeing them in their natural habitat and even organize your vacations to see different species and learn about them, we tell you a little more about Morelet crocodiles and where to see them in Mexico.

Morelet’s endangered crocodile

In Mexico, in addition to this species of crocodile, you will also find two more: the river crocodiles, also known as crocodylus acutus or crocodilus crocodiles.

This crocodile species was endangered during the 1970s and onwards due to poaching for the trade in its skins. This is due to the fact that the skin of the crocodile, and more specifically that of the moreletii, has an unequaled hardness that made it highly coveted in the market.

Fortunately, both in America and Mexico, this illegal practice has been stopped and poachers who endanger the integrity of this species are being prosecuted. Since the end of the 20th century, several initiatives have been promoted to raise awareness of the situation of the Morelet’s crocodile and to help the species recover.

Morelet’s crocodiles: price to see them

Specimens of the Morelet’s crocodile are distributed throughout the country, from the Gulf of Mexico coast to the Caribbean. If you are on vacation in the Riviera Maya, you can see Morelet’s crocodiles up close at Uxuxubi Lagoon in Akumal.

Uxububi is a sanctuary for this species, in which there are believed to be a hundred specimens. One of the great attractions of the place is that they live in freedom, the integrity of the ecosystem is taken care of and the crocodiles are not kept in captivity.

One of the activities in the enclosure is swimming with the crocodiles: you will enter steel cages in which you will wear snorkeling equipment to see the marine animals from a safe distance and thus be out of danger (it is strictly forbidden to touch them).

Morelet’s crocodiles: size

Morelet’s crocodiles can reach up to 4 meters in length. The shape of its head is broad and somewhat flattened, unlike other crocodile species.

What moreletii crocodiles look like as babies

Morelet’s crocodile hatchlings are only 30 centimeters long, nothing compared to the length they can reach as adults. The eggs from which they hatch are buried in mounds from which 17 to 40 hatchlings may be born.

What moreletii crocodiles look like as adults

When they reach adulthood, this species of crocodiles is characterized by having a dark green almost black color, also by having an elongated tail and by having spikes on their head, trunk and bodies, as they descend together through their scales. They are solitary animals that are active at night and only share space during the breeding season.