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Which crocodile species are known to attack people most often?

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Illustration of an estuarine or saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) with its mouth open, showing scaly skin and powerful limbs, alongside a scale bar for size reference. — crocodile Estuarine, or saltwater, crocodile (*Crocodylus porosus*), found in brackish waters from Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar east to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu and south to Australia.

The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is widely considered the most dangerous crocodilian to humans, as it is estimated to be responsible for more than 300 attacks on people annually.12

While several crocodilian species are known to be aggressive toward humans, the frequency and severity of attacks vary by species and region. According to data from the Worldwide Crocodilian Attack Database (CrocBITE), other notable species involved in human attacks include:

Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris): Recorded 110 attacks between 2008 and 2013.1
American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus): Recorded 90 attacks between 2008 and 2013.1
Black caiman (Melanosuchus niger): Recorded 43 attacks between 2008 and 2013.1
Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus): Responsible for nearly 30 attacks between 2000 and 2007 in Australia and Malaysia alone.1

Crocodilians generally strike humans due to hunger, territorial defense, protection of their young, or when they mistake a person for other prey. It is important to note that many attacks occur in rural areas and may go unreported, suggesting that actual figures for these species could be higher.12