American alligator vs Nile crocodile
American alligator vs Nile crocodile
Nile crocodile is larger on weight
Nile crocodile is 1.5× American alligator on weight.
An American alligator and a Nile crocodile can be compared on 3 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.
Side by side
| American alligator | Nile crocodile | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 70–500 kg | 225–750 kg |
| Length | 2.6–4.6 m | 2.4–6 m |
| Typical lifespan | 35–70 yr | 45–80 yr |
What the numbers say
- Nile crocodile is 1.5× American alligator on weight.
- Nile crocodile is somewhat greater than American alligator on length — about 1.2×.
- American alligator and Nile crocodile are near enough identical on typical lifespan.
Weight compared.
Nile crocodile 225–750 kg
American alligator 70–500 kg
American alligator
A broad-snouted crocodilian of the US Southeast, recovered from near-extinction to over a million animals.
Nile crocodile
Africa's largest crocodilian and, by most counts, the animal responsible for the most human deaths on the continent.
This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.
Common questions
- Which is bigger, American alligator or Nile crocodile?
- Nile crocodile is 1.5× American alligator on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
- How do American alligators and Nile crocodiles compare on length?
- American alligator: 2.6–4.6 m. Nile crocodile: 2.4–6 m. Nile crocodile is somewhat greater than American alligator on length — about 1.2×.
- How do American alligators and Nile crocodiles compare on typical lifespan?
- American alligator: 35–70 yr. Nile crocodile: 45–80 yr. American alligator and Nile crocodile are near enough identical on typical lifespan.
Related pages
Sources
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution