The 10 Largest Alligators Ever Recorded

From massive saltwater crocodiles to their lesser-known relatives, we will delve into the world of these ancient reptiles and discover what makes them such formidable creatures

The saltwater crocodile is the largest crocodile species in the world

Overall, the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the biggest of all living crocodilians

Average-size males reach 17 feet (52 meters) and 1,000 pounds (450 kg), but specimens 20+ feet (6+ meters) long and weighing over a ton is not unheard of

Additionally, due to their size, aggression, and distribution, saltwater crocodiles are regarded as the most dangerous extant crocodilian to humans

The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), also known as the estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific crocodile, marine crocodile, sea crocodile, or informally as saltie, is the largest of all living reptiles (and naturally all living crocodiles), as well as the largest riparian predator in the world

Males of this species can reach sizes up to 617 meters (20 feet 3 in)

But males reaching or exceeding 6 meters (197 feet) are really rare

Females are much smaller and often do not surpass 3 meters (98 feet)

Due to their size, aggression, and distribution, saltwater crocodiles are regarded as the most dangerous extant crocodilian to humans

List of the largest crocodiles ever recorded

Crocodiles are really large reptiles and can get enormous sizes both in the wild and in captivity

But, there are a lot of over-exaggeration and hoaxes about their size

So, how big are the largest crocodiles actually?

Or other techniques like the forced perspective (a technique that employs optical illusion to make an object appear far larger than it really is) are commonly used in these photos

Here are the top 10 largest crocodiles ever recorded, for real (no BS list)

Tawi-Tawi crocodile (515 meters / 16 feet 11 in)

Largest crocodiles ever recorded: Tawi-Tawi crocodile (515 meters / 16 feet 11 in)

On September 9, 2017, a 515 meters (16 feet 11 in) saltwater crocodile was captured by fishermen in Tawi-Tawi, an island province in the Philippines

According to the local resources, a local fisherman first spotted the crocodile on Tuesday, but initially, they thought it was a wooden log

Then he reported the incident to the officials, and an operation has been conducted to catch the crocodile

A lot of fishermen and officials were involved in the operation since the giant crocodile was very aggressive

Ruben Balcorza of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office of Simunul, Tawi-Tawi said that the crocodile is now under the care of the municipal government

Killing a crocodile is a crime in the Philippines that has a fine amounting to P100,000 pesos (around $2000) and imprisonment of up to six years

Related: Climate change created today’s large crocodiles

9 Matara crocodile and Jaws III (518+ meters / 17+ feet)

Matara crocodile

A huge saltwater crocodile, over 17 feet long, was captured in Matara, Sri Lanka on November 7, 2016

The giant reptile was released back into the river by wildlife officials, with the help of local people (Thanks for the comment, Dalya)

Largest crocodiles ever recorded: Matara crocodile

Related: 20 amazing crocodile facts

Jaws III was a huge saltwater crocodile living in the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology, a reptile zoo and herpetology research station, located 40 km (29 mi) south of the city of Chennai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India

The huge crocodile arrived at Madras Crocodile Bank Trust shortly after it opened in 1976 and for the first few years was housed with his brothers and sisters in what was then a fairly ordinary exhibit

However, when he started to outgrow his siblings in a truly astonishing fashion, it soon became apparent that he was no ordinary crocodile, but instead a genuine giant of freakish proportions

Jaws III was at least 17 feet (52 meters) long and weighed over a ton

It was believed to be the biggest crocodile in captivity in southern Asia

https://wwwyoutubecom/watch?v=Xgn3FF796coVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Madras Crocodile Bank – JAWS – III (https://wwwyoutubecom/watch?v=Xgn3FF796co)

Largest crocodiles ever recorded: Jaws III

Jaws III has died in January 2020 (thanks for the comment, Vishwamitra)

Gangadurai, chief reptile keeper at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, said:

“I fed Jaws for 40 years

8 Puento Noire Crocodile (540 meters / 1771 feet)

Largest crocodiles ever recorded: The Puento Noire Crocodile

This unnamed monster crocodile had been at the center of a number of hoaxes

The fact is, this aggressive Nile specimen was killed in a safety operation near Puento Noire, Republic of Congo

Estimated size: 54 meters – 17 feet 8 in

7 Gomek (542 meters / 178 feet)

Marcus Miller with Gomek the crocodile, one of the largest crocodiles ever in captivity

Gomek was a large saltwater crocodile captured by George Craig in Papua New Guinea

He was purchased by Terri and Arthur Jones in 1985 and was kept in Ocala, Florida for five years before being sold to the St Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in Florida

Feeders of the large croc were allowed to go into the enclosure and get as close as 1 meter (3 feet) from the large animal (normally suicidal proximity) without any fear of attack (for another example of a croc with great tolerance of people, see the story of Chito and Pocho)

While feeders still used long tongs to feed Gomek, he was generally considered to be a “tame” crocodile and was the favorite of the Alligator farm and people around the nation

After many years, Gomek, one of the largest crocodiles in the world, died of heart disease on March 6, 1997

By then, he was a very old crocodile, and one of the largest and tamest captive crocodiles in existence

When he died, he was 542 meters (178 feet) long, weighed 860 kg (1896 pounds) – as confirmed by St Augustine Alligator Farm – and was probably between 60 and 80 years old

There is a tribute to Gomek near his enclosure, which now houses his successor Maximo and his mate Sydney

I received a message from Marcus Miller, who worked with Gomek in the past

“I saw your article on the 10 largest crocodiles ever

That was a wonderful piece, and if your accuracy concerning Gomek is any indication, very accurate as well

6 Cassius (548 meters / 17 feet 11 in)

Cassius, the largest crocodile in captivity

This Australian saltwater giant has been claimed as the largest crocodile held in captivity and was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest crocodile in captivity in 2011

Cassius is missing his front left limb and the tip of his tail due to vicious fights

The crocodile was captured in 1987 in the Finis River in the Northern Territory after attacking boats and causing a nuisance

Cassius is 548 meters (17 feet 11 in) long and is believed to be around 110 years old

https://wwwyoutubecom/watch?v=qfYdCPOxfPQVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Cassius: World’s Largest Crocodile in Captivity, Green Island, Australia (https://wwwyoutubecom/watch?v=qfYdCPOxfPQ)

Far North Queensland has the World’s Largest Crocodile in Captivity!

Guinness World Records has today confirmed Cassius to be the biggest!

Cassius is 548 meters long and is living at Marineland Melanesia, Green Island, Far North Queensland

In the video above, you see George Craig, the capturer, and caretaker of Cassius

He also captured Gomek, one of the largest crocodiles ever measured

The Australian is dubbed the “Real life Crocodile Dundee”

For years, he captured dangerous large crocodiles like Cassius and Gomek and relocated them to a safe enclosure – which is good for both the crocodiles and the humans

After the capture of Cassius, Mr Craig spent 30 years with the giant reptile and fed him every day

6 Brutus (560 meters / 18 feet 4 in)

One of the largest crocodiles ever recorded, the three-limbed Brutus the giant crocodile is a tourist attraction on the Adelaide River in Australia

This massive saltwater crocodile named “Brutus” has only three limbs!

It is known to frequent the Adelaide River, Northern Territory, Australia

Brutus is conservatively estimated at 56 meters (18 feet 4 in) in length and about a ton in weight

5 Yai (561 meters / 18 feet 5 in)

Largest crocodiles ever recorded: Yai, the hybrid Siamestuary crocodile

It is at the Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo in Thailand

The length of Yai is between 55 and 6 m long (different sources give different lengths, I chose to take the minimum)

Yai, like Gomek, has a great tolerance for people

In 2012, Yai was measured at 18 feet and 5 inches in length (561 meters)

3 Bujang Senang (588 meters / 19 feet 3 inches)

One of the largest crocodiles ever recorded, Bujang Senang was killed on May 20, 1992

He was 19 feet 3 inches long (588 meters)

Bujang Senang was a massive saltwater crocodile and it was living in Borneo

According to local sources, he was a man-eater (some people even claimed that he had been around and attacking and killing for at least thirty years)

At first, he was estimated at 25 feet (762 meters)

He was 19 feet 3 inches long (588 meters) and reportedly weighed over a ton

2 Dominator (61 meters / 20 feet)

Largest crocodiles ever recorded: Dominator, the saltwater giant

Dominator has never been officially measured but it is estimated that he measures up to 20 feet (61 meters) and weighs over a ton

He shares the same territory with another saltwater giant Brutus (Adelaide River, Northern Territory, Australia)

1 Lolong (617 meters / 20 feet 3 in) – the largest crocodile ever measured

At 617 meters (20 feet 3 in), Lolong was the largest crocodile ever measured from snout to tail

Measured at 20 feet 3 inches (617 meters), and weighing 2,370 lbs (1,075 kg), Lolong was the largest crocodile in captivity

He was also the biggest crocodile ever measured from snout to tail

Lolong was an Indo-Pacific or saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)

Australian crocodile expert Dr Adam Britton (see notes 1) sedated and measured Lolong in his enclosure in November 2011, and confirmed him as the world’s longest crocodile ever caught and placed in captivity

He was captured with the joint cooperation of the local government unit, residents, and crocodile hunters of Palawan

The capture of Lolong

The giant crocodile was hunted over a period of three weeks; once it was found, it took around 100 people to bring him onto land

He was estimated to be at least 50 years old

Lolong was suspected of eating a fisherman who went missing in the town of Bunawan, and also of consuming a 12-year-old girl whose head was discovered two years earlier

In the examination of the stomach contents after his capture, remnants of water buffaloes reported missing before Lolong’s capture were found, but no human remains

He died of a heart attack several days before the crocodile was captured

Despite his initial aggressiveness, Lolong was remarkably gentle in his enclosure

Dr Britton writes “This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the effects of capturing large crocodiles from the wild

It’s a phenomenon called “capture myopathy”; the shock of being caught, poked and prodded, and introduced to a completely new and alien environment is a stressful experience, particularly for an animal as large as Lolong who has been master of his domain for decades

It might seem unusual to think of crocodiles as being susceptible to stress, but they’re just like any other vertebrate in that respect and something that anyone who maintains captive crocodiles should be aware of”

The nongovernmental organization activist Animal Kingdom Foundation Inc, with the cooperation of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, had urged the local government of Bunawan to return Lolong to the creek of barangay Nueva Era, where the giant reptile was captured

Lolong died in captivity just 18 months later he was captured, at around 8 pm on 10 February 2013

Here is a video that was shot when Lolong was alive:

https://wwwyoutubecom/watch?v=jlpnpK0gftIVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Lolong (https://wwwyoutubecom/watch?v=jlpnpK0gftI)

Lolong was an Indo-Pacific or Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) measured at 20 feet 3 inches (617 meters)

He was the largest crocodile ever in captivity

According to Dr Adam Britton, Lolong’s enclosure might not look pretty, but, in fact, crocodiles in the wild call muddy holes “home”, they just look for any kind of shelter and the basic necessities for survival

So, Lolong was provided with those basic necessities

Crocodiles do not eat if they’re too stressed, but in Lolong’s case, he was eating and seemed to settle down into his new surroundings and was behaving normally

You might say they adored him” He adds: “…there were also financial incentives to keep Lolong alive; he was popular, brought much money into the community, and generated a lot of national and international attention”

Britton concludes: “It would have been ideal to leave Lolong in the wild, but does such specious thinking have a place in our overcrowded world?

Yet at the same time, we can’t simply remove all wild animals simply because it makes us feel better, or safer

There has to be a compromise, and unfortunately for Lolong, he was that compromise at that particular time and place

I recommend you to read Dr Britton’s great article titled “What really killed Lolong?” on his blog

Officially the biggest crocodile ever measured

Lolong was officially certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “world’s biggest crocodile in captivity” at 2025 feet (617 meters)

But, there are also a lot of unverified claims that there are even larger crocodiles than Lolong in the wild

The size of Lolong, the largest crocodile ever measured from snout to tail, put things into perspective

World’s largest crocodile candidates

Here are the unconfirmed candidates for the world’s largest crocodile title:

Puerto Rico crocodile (62 meters / 20 feet 4 in, up to 63 meters / 20 feet 8 in)

After Lolong, the best-documented evidence of a record-sized crocodile comes from Obo village on the Fly River in Papua New Guinea (Montague 1983)

The crocodile’s skin had already been removed and salted when Jerome Montague and one of the authors (RW) visited the village, but the skin plus the decapitated head measured 62 meters (203 feet)

The authors considered this likely an underestimate considering possible shrinkage of the skin plus an incomplete tail tip, suggesting a TL closer to 63 meters

The DCL of this crocodile was 720 mm (283 in), which at 62 meters TL would indicate a DCL:TL (dorsal cranial length vs total length) ratio of 1:86, or 1:88 considering the likely 63 meters TL

While not a complete or living specimen, this is still considered the largest saltwater crocodile (C

porosus) ever measured and documented

Cambodia Crocodile (7 meters / 23 feet, probably)

As you can see below (see the “life-size replica” of Krys crocodile), Adam Britton mentions a 7-meter saltwater crocodile

As far as I know, Lolong is the largest crocodile ever measured and Mr Britton himself measured it

“Lolong’s skull was 70 cm long, a HL:TL ratio of 1:88

There’s a saltwater croc skull in the Paris Museum, originally from Cambodia, that’s 76 cm long

Its original owner was estimated to be 7 meters (23 feet) long, a HL:TL ratio of 1:92 which sounds about right”

A crocodile bigger than Lolong?

The largest known saltwater crocodile (C

porosus) skull is housed at the Paris Museum (MNHN PMP specimen #A11803 = old museum collection #7738) originally from Cambodia

It has a DCL (dorsal cranial length) of 760 mm (299 in), making it 86% longer than Lolong’s skull

If we apply a DCL:TL (dorsal cranial length vs total length) ratio of 1:9 for this skull, TL is estimated at 684 meters (224 feet) which is 113% longer than Lolong’s TL (total length)

Although the actual TL was never preserved, these figures strongly suggest a nearly 7 meters (23 feet) crocodile

We can compare this with another slightly smaller skull (currently in the private collection of Shivendra Narayan Bhanja Deo, the Yuvaraj of Kanika in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa) of DCL 730 mm (287 in), originally from the Indian Bhitarkanika province, reported having come from a 7 meters (23 feet) C

Applying the 1:9 ratio to the Bhitarkanika skull gives an estimated TL of 66 meters (217 feet)

The truth is unlikely to be far from these figures and there is a strong sense that 7 meters (23 feet) is likely the maximum possible length for C

Kalia (Bhitarkanika Park crocodile) (claimed size: 701 meters / 23 feet)

It seems the Guinness World Record book has accepted a claim that a 23 feet (701 meters) giant male saltwater (named Kalia) crocodile weighing 2,000 kg lives within Bhitarkanika Park in the state of Orissa, India, but because of the difficulty to capture such a large monster, the accuracy of the measurement is yet to be verified

I am skeptical about this claim, while it is much larger than any other accurately reported measurement

Adam Britton wrote: “There are several unverified reports of even larger wild crocodiles, the most popular being a 7 meters plus (over 23 feet) C

“Another famous giant crocodile shot on the Norman River in Australia in 1957 was reported by the shooters to be over 8 meters (approx

26 feet)

While it seems likely that an exceptionally large crocodile was shot, no actual evidence was ever taken

For a crocodile whose length exceeds that of any other record by a large margin, a high degree of skepticism is understandable when bearing in mind the track record of inaccurate or exaggerated size records (Greer 1974; Whitaker and Whitaker 2008)”

1823 Philippines crocodile (27 feet?/823 meters? )

According to biology professor Alvin Silverstein’s 1980 book Nature’s Champions, in 1883, a giant saltwater crocodile bigger than Lolong was killed in the Philippines

It measured 27 feet (823 meters) from the tips of its snout to the end of its tail

The only known photo of the Krys Crocodile

Note that the forced perspective was used in the photo, a technique that employs optical illusion to make an object appear larger than it actually is

According to a story, a giant crocodile was shot in July 1958 near Normanton, Queensland, Australia

It was claimed at 28 feet 4 inches (864 meters)

There is also a life-size replica of it at Normanton

Zoologist Adam Britton, one of the biggest experts in the area, and who measured Lolong, the biggest crocodile in captivity, says: “I’ve never counted “Krys” because it’s just a story – there’s no evidence at all to back it up, and it just seems so far outside the maximum possible range for this species that I’d need some pretty solid evidence to believe it

The minimum acceptable criteria for record-breaking crocs should include a tape measure along their back because “big fish” stories outnumber accurate estimates by several orders of magnitude”

A lifesize replica of Krys “The Savannah King” at Normanton, Queensland, Australia

The claimed size of Krys is highly suspicious because it is much larger than any other accurately reported measurements

And, apparently, this “life-size replica” isn’t very accurate, too

Zoologist and crocodile expert Adam Britton measured the replica’s head in June 2017 and found that its head-body ratio is not appropriate

Krys the Crocodile statue in Normanton, is purportedly a life-size representation of a 28 feet (86 meters) saltwater croc that Krys Pawlowski shot on the Norman River

If true, it makes Lolong look like a yearling”

“Apparently, photos were taken but lost in floods 40 years ago

A pretty hard story to swallow to be honest, given its insane size

I couldn’t resist measuring the head length on the model, was 152 cm

The largest saltwater crocodile skull on record is 76 cm from a 23 feet (7 meters) animal”

(a 152 cm skull would belong to a roughly 14 m long crocodile based on a similar HL:TL (head length vs total length) ratio, probably a bit less than that in reality as the ratio would be higher) It was also estimated to weigh 2 tonnes, but in reality, a crocodile of that size would be at least double that

Gustave (Estimated size ~6 meters / 1968 feet)

Largest crocodiles ever recorded: A photograph of Gustave, the largest Nile crocodile by Martin Best for National Geographic

Probably not the biggest ever recorded, but this large man-eater crocodile named “Gustave” is definitely the most feared beast ever

It is a large male Nile crocodile from Burundi, and is rumored to have killed as many as 300 humans from the banks of the Ruzizi River and the northern shores of Lake Tanganyika!

(Note: I am really skeptical about this claim )

Gustave was named by Patrice Faye, a herpetologist who has been studying and investigating him since the late 1990s; much of what is known about Gustave stems from the film Capturing the Killer Croc, which aired in 2004 on PBS

The film documents a capture attempt and study of Gustave

Gustave is the biggest Nile crocodile ever recorded

Since Gustave has not been captured, his exact length and weight are unknown

In 2002 it was stated that he could be “easily more than 20 feet (6 meters) long”, and weigh more than a ton

If true, this makes Gustave the largest freshwater crocodile and also the biggest Nile crocodile in the world

But, please note that the estimated size of Gustave is way higher than the average size of a Nile crocodile (which is 42 meters)

So, take these size estimations with a pinch of salt

That’s why I removed Gustave from the original top ten largest crocodiles list

Some estimates have put Gustave at 75 meters (25 feet) or more in length (which is very unlikely)

Gustave is also known for the three bullet scars on his body

The last reported sighting of Gustave was in 2009 in the Ruzizi River near Lake Tanganyika

Some sources claim that it was killed in 2019, but there is no photographic evidence

Current status: unknown, probably alive

Utan (Close to 5 meters)

Previously, Utan was on my top ten largest crocodiles list, but I removed it

Adam Britton wrote on his blog:

“There’s no doubt that Yai is larger than Cassius, but I’m interested in the largest saltwater crocodile in the world and consider Yai to be a bit of a cheat due to hybrid vigor

Utan is also a hybrid from the same crocodile farm, although I’ve been told by more than one person “in the know” that he’s not as large as advertised (not even Cassius-large)”

Largest crocodiles ever recorded: Utan currently lives in Alligator Adventure, one of the World’s biggest reptilian facilities

Like Yai, Utan is also a hybrid breed between saltwater and Siamese crocodile

He was born in 1964 Utan is found at Samut Prakan crocodile farm, which is about twelve miles outside of Bangkok, Thailand

He currently lives in Alligator Adventure, a reptilian facility located adjacent to Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach, one of South Carolina’s most outstanding tourist attractions

Sweetheart (51 meters / 16 feet 8 in)

Largest crocodiles ever recorded: Sweetheart at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory

Sweetheart was a huge saltwater crocodile responsible for a series of attacks on boats in Australia between 1974 and 1979

A 2007 Australian independent horror film named Rogue, about a group of tourists in Australia who fall prey to a giant, man-eating crocodile, was inspired by the story of Sweetheart

But, in fact, Sweetheart was never responsible for an attack on a human

King Croc of Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo (5+ meters)

There’s a huge saltwater crocodile weighing in at a whopping 750 kg and measuring over 5 meters in length in the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo Originally spotted measuring only 24 meters in length and dubbed a “problem” crocodile by the locals, the soon-to-be King Croc was quickly moved from the Botanic Gardens that he had taken over, to a more protected environment located in Queensland, Australia

In 2014, it has arrived at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo Today, it is 40 years old

Already one of the largest living crocodiles in the world, the “King Croc” is expected to grow much bigger over the next 50 years

https://wwwyoutubecom/watch?v=v5ZUE2ghIekVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: The KING CROC has arrived at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo (https://wwwyoutubecom/watch?v=v5ZUE2ghIek)

The King Croc has arrived at Dubai Aquarium Underwater Zoo in 2014

Smaug (5 meters / 16 feet 5 in)

Largest crocodiles ever recorded: Smaug the crocodile (photo by Adam Britton)

Living in Darwin, Australia, Smaug is a 5-meter long (163 feet) Australian Saltwater Crocodile

According to its Facebook page, “Smaug is a movie and TV star working with Big Gecko (Adam & Erin Britton) and can be hired to dramatically improve your production through his sheer presence”

Smaug is 60 years old and about 500 kg (1,100 lbs) in weight

Panjang (5 meters / 16 feet 5 in)

(Thanks to Hieu Nguyen) Panjang is a 5-meter-long saltwater crocodile living in the Singapore Zoo He weighs anywhere from 500 to 600 kilograms

The largest prehistoric crocodile?

In the prehistoric ages, some animals were much bigger than today’s counterparts – including crocodilians

Click to see what was the largest prehistoric crocodile

Related: Largest prehistoric crocodiles

The largest alligator?

Click to see what is the largest alligator ever measured, and the differences between crocodiles and alligators

Dr Adam Britton works primarily in the field of crocodile conservation management, biology, and behavior

As of December 2017, he is working on a number of projects in conjunction with Charles Darwin University’s RIEL (Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods), including assessing the feasibility of wild crocodile egg harvests in Queensland, studying migratory behavior, and phylogeography of populations

II courses in Remote Crocodile Management through CDU

He also has a blog about crocodiles: crocodilianblogspotcom

Gomek on Wikipedia

Cassius the crocodile on Wikipedia

Gustave (crocodile) on Wikipedia

Lolong on Wikipedia

What really killed Lolong?

“Here be a dragon: exceptional size in a saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) from the Philippines” by Adam Britton and Nikhil Whitaker, on Research Gate

Madras Crocodile Bank Trust on Wikipedia

Madras Crocodile Bank Trust official website

“Croc on: 42 years later, Madras Crocodile Bank is an ocean of cool reptiles” on The News Minute website

“Remembering Jaws, India’s largest crocodile in captivity” on The Hindu website