West African slender-snouted crocodile
The West African slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus) is a critically endangered type of African crocodile. It is one of five species of crocodile in Africa.[2]
| West African slender-snouted crocodile | |
|---|---|
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| West African slender-snouted crocodile | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification 
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| Unrecognized taxon (fix): | Crocodyloidea |
| Family: | Crocodylidae |
| Genus: | Mecistops |
| Species: | M. cataphractus
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| Binomial name | |
| Mecistops cataphractus (Cuvier, 1825)
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| Synonyms | |
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Distribution
The West African slender-snouted crocodile lives in West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, southern Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, southern Mali, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo) and extends into Cameroon in Central Africa.
Status
The West African slender-snouted crocodile is classified as critically endangered. It no longer exists in many countries, while its numbers have decreased in others. In its native range, it is very rare. It is on the verge of disappearing. Captive breeding may be important for conservation of this species.
References
- ↑ Crocodile Specialist Group (2014). "Mecistops cataphractus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2014: e.T5660A3044332. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- ↑ "West African Slender-snouted Crocodile". EDGE of Existence. Retrieved 2020-08-21.