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Why are crocodile eggs and hatchlings more vulnerable than adult crocodiles?

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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.

Crocodile eggs and hatchlings are significantly more vulnerable than adult crocodiles primarily due to their susceptibility to predation and their small size.12

Egg Vulnerability: Crocodile eggs are often targeted by various predators, including raccoons, skunks, and other small mammals, which may consume them while they are in the nest.1
Hatchling Vulnerability: Once they emerge, hatchlings are small—typically measuring only 20–30 cm (8–12 inches)—making them easy targets for a wide range of predators, such as birds, large fishes, feral cats, and even adult crocodiles, which may engage in cannibalism.12

Because of these threats, hatchling and juvenile mortality rates are quite high; for example, only about 25 percent of young American crocodiles survive until age 4. While adult crocodiles are apex predators with no natural enemies other than humans, the young must rely on the protection of their mother for several weeks or months after hatching to improve their chances of survival.134