Crocodiles: Ancient Dominators of Water and Land—and Guardians of Ecosystems

Crocodiles (scientific name: Crocodilia) are among the oldest surviving reptiles on Earth, having thrived for over 230 million years, witnessing the rise and fall of dinosaurs, the emergence of mammals, and enduring countless global climate shifts with remarkable resilience—earning them the title of “living fossils.” Belonging to the order Crocodylia within the class Reptilia, crocodiles are semi‑aquatic apex predators whose evolutionary lineage is more closely related to birds and dinosaurs than to other reptiles.