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96-491: The zoo was founded in 1860 by a shareholding company organized by local citizens, with biologist Heinrich Bodinus appointed as the first director (who would later become a director of the Berlin Zoological Garden ). The animal enclosures being built at the time were recognized by their ornate, detailed building designs, with the most notable being the elephant house (designed to resemble a Moorish temple),

192-532: A mass media phenomenon that spanned the globe, quickly spawning numerous toys, media specials, DVDs, and books. Because of this, the cub was largely responsible for a significant increase in revenue, estimated at five million euros, at the Berlin Zoo in 2007. Zoo attendance figures for the year increased by an estimated 30%, making it the most profitable year in its 165-year history. Knut died on 19 March 2011 after collapsing in his exhibit. Bao Bao (1978–2012)

288-692: A Friends of the Zoo Organization (Freunde des Kölner Zoos e. V.) in 1982 and the launch of the first European Endangered Species Programme in 1985. The great ape jungle house ( Urwaldhaus ) opened in 1985 as one of the first immersion exhibits in Europe. The enclosures mainly consist of swinging ropes, climbing bars, and various tropical plants to provide enrichment for the animals. Species housed include western lowland gorilla , orangutan , bonobo , pygmy marmoset , king colobus , and lion-tailed macaque . The baboon rock, which opened in 1914, houses

384-511: A crocodile would kill most vertebrates. However, exertion by crocodilians can lead to death due to increasing lactic acid to lethal levels, which in turn leads to failure of the animal's internal organs. This is rarely recorded in wild crocodiles, normally having been observed in cases where humans have mishandled crocodiles and put them through overly extended periods of physical struggling and stress. The mouths of Nile crocodiles are filled with 64 to 68 sharply pointed, cone-shaped teeth (about

480-728: A dark bronze colouration above, with faded blackish spots and stripes variably appearing across the back and a dingy off-yellow on the belly, although mud can often obscure the crocodile's actual colour. The flanks, which are yellowish-green in colour, have dark patches arranged in oblique stripes in highly variable patterns. Some variation occurs relative to environment; specimens from swift-flowing waters tend to be lighter in colour than those dwelling in murkier lakes or swamps, which provides camouflage that suits their environment, an example of clinal variation. Nile crocodiles have green eyes. The colouration also helps to camouflage them; juveniles are grey, multicoloured, or brown, with dark cross-bands on

576-568: A distinct species, the West African (or desert) crocodile. The distributional boundaries between these species were poorly understood, but following several studies, they are now better known. West African crocodiles are found throughout much of West and Central Africa, ranging east to South Sudan and Uganda where the species may come into contact with the Nile crocodile. Nile crocodiles are absent from most of West and Central Africa, but range into

672-416: A dozen less than alligators have). For most of a crocodile's life, broken teeth can be replaced. On each side of the mouth, five teeth are in the front of the upper jaw ( premaxilla ), 13 or 14 are in the rest of the upper jaw ( maxilla ), and 14 or 15 are on either side of the lower jaw ( mandible ). The enlarged fourth lower tooth fits into the notch on the upper jaw and is visible when the jaws are closed, as

768-408: A few minutes at a time, but can swim under water up to 30 minutes if threatened. If they remain fully inactive, they can hold their breath for up to 2 hours (which, as aforementioned, is due to the high levels of lactic acid in their blood). They have a rich vocal range and good hearing . Nile crocodiles normally crawl along on their bellies, but they can also "high walk" with their trunks raised above

864-410: A great advantage for holding down large prey underwater to drown. Nile crocodiles are relatively social. They share basking spots and large food sources, such as schools of fish and big carcasses . Their strict hierarchy is determined by size. Large, old males are at the top of this hierarchy and have first access to food and the best basking spots. Crocodiles tend to respect this order; when it

960-791: A large number of gastroliths. One crocodile measuring 3.84 m (12 ft 7 in) and weighing 239 kg (527 lb) had 5.1 kg (11 lb) of stones in its stomach, perhaps a record gastrolith weight for a crocodile. Specimens shot near Mpondwe on the Semliki River had gastroliths in their stomach despite being shot miles away from any sources for the stones; the same holds true for specimens from Kafue Flats , Upper Zambezi and Bangweulu Swamp , all of which often had stones inside them despite being nowhere near stony regions. Cott (1961) felt that gastroliths were most likely serving as ballast to provide stability and additional weight to sink in water, this bearing great probability over

1056-510: A loss, before re-selling the stocks in an effort to Aryanize the institution. Starting in 1939, Jews were also prevented from visiting the zoo. Zoo director Lutz Heck was named chief of the Oberste Naturschütz Behörde im Reichsforstamt (highest nature preservation agency in the state department of forestry) by his friend Hermann Göring in the summer of 1938 and in this capacity he was the senior responsible person for

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1152-476: A partner of the Stiftung Artenschutz  [ de ] , a species protection foundation. The zoo houses four types of great ape : orangutans , gorillas , chimpanzees , and bonobos . The carnivore house displays all big cats and many rare small predators, such as ring-tailed mongooses and narrow-striped mongooses from Madagascar. In the basement, visitors are invited to a view into

1248-628: A report by AFP. The Berlin Zoo is the most visited zoo in Europe , with more than 3.3 million visitors per year from all over the world. It is open all year long and can easily be reached by public transportation. The Berlin Zoologischer Garten railway station (also simply known as Zoo ) is one of Berlin's most important stations. Several modes of transport such as U-Bahn , S-Bahn and buses are interlinked here. Visitors can either enter

1344-472: A result, the original team was reduced to around a third of its previous size. These staffing shortages forced the management to limit the offers of guided tours. Nile crocodile The Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus ) is a large crocodilian native to freshwater habitats in Africa, where it is present in 26 countries. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa , occurring mostly in

1440-502: A separate species). In a study of the morphology of the various populations, including C. (n.) suchus , the appearance of the Nile crocodile sensu lato was found to be more variable than that of any other currently recognized crocodile species, and at least some of these variations were related to locality. For example, a study on Lake Turkana in Kenya (informally this population would be placed in C. n. pauciscutatus ) found that

1536-539: A similar length. As an example of the body mass increase undergone by mature crocodiles, one of the larger crocodiles handled firsthand by Cott (1961) was 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) and weighed 414.5 kg (914 lb), while the largest specimen measured by Graham and Beard (1973) was 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in) and weighed more than 680 kg (1,500 lb). One of the largest known specimens from South Africa , caught by J. G. Kuhlmann in Venda , which

1632-672: A single source of the introduction. This source remains unclear, as their genetics do not match samples collected from captives at various zoos and theme parks in Florida. When compared to Nile crocodiles from their native Africa, the Florida wild specimens are most closely related to South African Nile crocodiles. It is unknown how many Nile crocodiles are currently at large in Florida. The animals likely were either brought there to be released or are escapees. Generally, Nile crocodiles are relatively inert creatures, as are most crocodilians and other large, cold-blooded creatures. More than half of

1728-463: A specialization at hunting sizeable prey, such as large mammals and freshwater turtles, the latter much larger than any in present-day Africa. Studies have since shown these other African crocodiles to be only more distantly related to the Nile crocodile. Below is a cladogram based on a 2018 tip dating study by Lee & Yates simultaneously using morphological , molecular ( DNA sequencing ), and stratigraphic ( fossil age) data, as revised by

1824-462: A specimen measuring 5.36 m (17 ft 7 in) in total length (with a considerable portion of its tail tip missing). The weight of this specimen was estimated to be 838 kg (1,847 lb), making it one of the largest crocodiles ever to be captured and released alive. The bulk and mass of individual crocodiles can be fairly variable, some animals being relatively slender, while others being very robust; females are often bulkier than males of

1920-434: A troop of hamadryas baboons . The enclosure is a rocky island surrounded by a deep moat . The daily feeding of the baboons is very popular with visitors. The bird house which was built at the time of the zoo's founding now houses South American monkey species including red howler and golden lion tamarin . Opened in 2000, this building houses animals native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia . The free-flight aviary in

2016-995: Is called timsah al-nil in Arabic , mamba in Swahili , yaxaas in Somali , garwe in Shona , ngwenya in Ndebele , ngwena in Venda , kwena in Sotho and Tswana , and tanin ha-yeor in Hebrew . It also sometimes referred to as the African crocodile , Ethiopian crocodile , and common crocodile . Although no subspecies are currently formally recognized, as many as seven have been proposed, mostly due to variations in appearance and size noted in various populations throughout Africa. These have consisted of C. n. africanus (informally named

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2112-422: Is clearly a deliberate behaviour for the species, the purpose is not definitively known. Gastroliths are not present in hatchlings, but increase quickly in presence within most crocodiles examined at 2–3.1 m (6 ft 7 in – 10 ft 2 in) and yet normally become extremely rare again in very large specimens, meaning that some animals may eventually expel them. However, large specimens can have

2208-400: Is infringed, the results are often violent and sometimes fatal. Like most other reptiles, Nile crocodiles lay eggs ; these are guarded by the females but also males, making the Nile crocodiles one of few reptile species whose males contribute to parental care. The hatchlings are also protected for a period of time, but hunt by themselves and are not fed by the parents. The Nile crocodile

2304-598: Is one of the most dangerous species of crocodile and is responsible for hundreds of human deaths every year. It is common and is not endangered, despite some regional declines or extirpations in the Maghreb . The binomial name Crocodylus niloticus is derived from the Greek κρόκη, kroke ("pebble"), δρῖλος, drilos ("worm"), referring to its rough skin; and niloticus , meaning "from the Nile River". The Nile crocodile

2400-402: Is the case with all true crocodiles. Hatchlings quickly lose a hardened piece of skin on the top of their mouths called the egg tooth , which they use to break through their eggshells at hatching. Among crocodilians, the Nile crocodile possesses a relatively long snout, which is about 1.6 to 2.0 times as long as broad at the level of the front corners of the eyes. As is the saltwater crocodile,

2496-525: Is the oldest surviving and best-known zoo in Germany. Opened in 1844, it covers 35 hectares (86.5 acres) and is located in Berlin 's Tiergarten . With about 1,380 different species and over 20,200 animals, the zoo presents one of the most comprehensive collections of species in the world. The zoo and its aquarium had more than 3.5 million visitors in 2017. It is the most-visited zoo in Europe and one of

2592-706: The Central African Republic , the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Equatorial Guinea , Tanzania, Rwanda , Burundi , Zambia, Zimbabwe , Gabon , Angola , South Africa, Malawi , Mozambique , Namibia , Sudan , South Sudan , Botswana , and Cameroon . The Nile crocodile's current range of distribution extends from the regional tributaries of the Nile in Sudan and Lake Nasser in Egypt to

2688-752: The Cunene river of Angola, the Okavango Delta of Botswana, and the Olifants River in South Africa. Isolated populations also exist in Madagascar , which were supposed to have likely colonized the island very recently, after the extinction of the endemic crocodile Voay within the last 2000 years . However in 2022 a skull of Crocodylus from Madagascar was found to be around 7,500 years old based on radiocarbon dating, suggesting that

2784-399: The bird house (designed to resemble a Russian cathedral), the sea lion pool, and the cattle and ox houses (designed to resemble Swiss log cabins ). Carl Hagenbeck's enclosure design also influenced the layout of the zoo, as interpreted by naturalistic looking baboon and polar bear rockwork exhibits built around 1914. Initially, the zoo's financial track was a successful start, but

2880-526: The female gorilla was born on 13 April 1957. She came to the zoo at an estimated age of two. In 1974 she gave birth to the first gorilla to be raised in Berlin, Dufte. Since the death of Colo in January 2017, she is the oldest living gorilla in captivity of the world (now together with American gorilla Trudy). In 2008, Claudia Hämmerling, a Green Party MP, accused the zoo director, Bernhard Blaszkiewitz (also

2976-518: The genus Crocodylus appear to be closely related to the Nile crocodile: C. anthropophagus from Plio-Pleistocene Tanzania and C. thorbjarnarsoni from Plio-Pleistocene Kenya . C. anthropophagus and C. thorbjarnarsoni were both somewhat larger, with projected total lengths up to 7.5–7.6 m (24 ft 7 in – 24 ft 11 in). As well as being larger, C. anthropophagus and C. thorbjarnarsoni , as well as Rimasuchus spp., were all relatively broad-snouted, indicating

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3072-552: The saltwater crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus ). Size is sexually dimorphic , with females usually about 30% smaller than males. The crocodile has thick, scaly, heavily armoured skin. Nile crocodiles are opportunistic apex predators ; a very aggressive crocodile, they are capable of taking almost any animal within their range. They are generalists , taking a variety of prey, with a diet consisting mostly of different species of fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals . As ambush predators , they can wait for hours, days, and even weeks for

3168-568: The saltwater crocodile . Typical size has been reported to be as much as 4.5 to 5.5 m (14 ft 9 in to 18 ft 1 in), but this is excessive for actual average size per most studies and represents the upper limit of sizes attained by the largest animals in a majority of populations. Alexander and Marais (2007) give the typical mature size as 2.8 to 3.5 m (9 ft 2 in to 11 ft 6 in); Garrick and Lang (1977) put it at from 3.0 to 4.5 m (9 ft 10 in to 14 ft 9 in). According to Cott (1961),

3264-1021: The 2021 Hekkala et al. paleogenomics study using DNA extracted from the extinct Voay . Voay † Crocodylus anthropophagus † Crocodylus thorbjarnarsoni † Crocodylus palaeindicus † Crocodylus Tirari Desert † Crocodylus johnstoni Freshwater crocodile [REDACTED] Crocodylus novaeguineae New Guinea crocodile Crocodylus mindorensis Philippine crocodile Crocodylus porosus Saltwater crocodile [REDACTED] Crocodylus siamensis Siamese crocodile [REDACTED] Crocodylus palustris Mugger crocodile [REDACTED] Crocodylus checchiai † Crocodylus falconensis † Crocodylus suchus West African crocodile Crocodylus niloticus Nile crocodile [REDACTED] Crocodylus moreletii Morelet's crocodile Crocodylus rhombifer Cuban crocodile [REDACTED] Crocodylus intermedius Orinoco crocodile Crocodylus acutus American crocodile [REDACTED] Adult Nile crocodiles have

3360-858: The East African Nile crocodile), C. n. chamses (the West African Nile crocodile), C. n. cowiei (the South African Nile crocodile), C. n. madagascariensis (the Malagasy or Madagascar Nile crocodile, regionally also known as the croco Mada , which translates to Malagasy crocodile), C. n. niloticus (the Ethiopian Nile crocodile; this would be the nominate subspecies), C. n. pauciscutatus (the Kenyan Nile crocodile) and C. (n.) suchus (now widely considered

3456-875: The Mediterranean coast in Libya , Tunisia , Algeria , Morocco , the Nile Delta of Egypt and across the Red Sea in Palestine and Syria . The Nile crocodile has historically been recorded in areas where they are now regionally extinct. For example, Herodotus recorded the species inhabiting Lake Moeris in Egypt. They are thought to have become extinct in the Seychelles in the early 19th century (1810–1820). Today, Nile crocodiles are widely found in, among others, Somalia , Ethiopia , Uganda , Kenya, Egypt,

3552-433: The Nile crocodile is a quadruped with four short, splayed legs, a long, powerful tail , a scaly hide with rows of ossified scutes running down its back and tail, and powerful, elongated jaws . Their skin has a number of poorly understood integumentary sense organs that may react to changes in water pressure , presumably allowing them to track prey movements in the water. The Nile crocodile has fewer osteoderms on

3648-470: The Nile crocodile is considered a species with medium-width snout relative to other extant crocodilian species. In a search for the largest crocodilian skulls in museums, the largest verifiable Nile crocodile skulls found were several housed in Arba Minch , Ethiopia , sourced from nearby Lake Chamo , which apparently included several specimens with a skull length more than 65 cm (26 in), with

3744-546: The World Wars in Germany resulted in phases of stagnation. World War I and the Great Depression resulted in economic losses and development slowdown, and many animals suffered from a lack of food supply. Shortly after World War II the zoo had to close for two years entirely, after being heavily destroyed. After reopening in 1947, the zoo saw a wave of modernization and renovation of its old exhibits. In 1960,

3840-660: The Zoologischer Garten Berlin was the second zoo in Germany after the short-lived "Thiergarten" in Hamburg-Horn. The aquarium opened in 1913. The first animals were donated by Frederick William IV , King of Prussia , from the menagerie at Pfaueninsel island and pheasantry of the Tiergarten . The nearby U-Bahn station was opened in 1882. In 1938, the Berlin Zoo got rid of Jewish board members and forced Jewish shareholders to sell their stocks at

3936-401: The Zoologischer Garten complex. In addition to fish and other aquatic life, it is home to most of the zoo's reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Polar bear Knut was born in captivity at the zoo on 5 December 2006. He and his twin brother or sister were directly rejected by their mother on the day of birth. He was subsequently raised by zookeeper Thomas Dörflein and became the center of

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4032-415: The adult male Nile crocodile is between 3.5 and 5 m (11 ft 6 in and 16 ft 5 in) in length and weighs 225 to 750 kg (496 to 1,653 lb). However, specimens exceeding 6.1 m (20 ft) in length and 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) in weight have been recorded. It is the largest predator in Africa, and may be considered the second-largest extant reptile in the world, after

4128-573: The aquarium held 8300 reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates of 750 species. In 2001, the combined collection numbered 14188 animals of 1517 species, similar to present. The number of larger animals displayed has gradually thinned as enclosures become increasingly designed to recreate natural habitat . The zoo maintains studbooks for black and Indian rhinoceroses and gaurs . The populations of rare deer and pigs are part of several captive breeding projects. Berlin Zoo supports conservationists in other countries (for instance, in Madagascar ) and as

4224-488: The aquarium is located outside the main zoo grounds and is home to the majority of the zoo's amphibian , reptile , fish , and invertebrate collection. The most notable features include an insectarium , a coral reef tank , a Lake Tanganyika cichlid tank, a Philippine crocodile exhibit, and a Rhine panorama tank with various native fishes. In 1969, the zoo sought to acquire two young mountain gorillas , Coco and Pucker, from Rwanda. The capture of these gorillas caused

4320-482: The average female specimen would weigh 40 to 250 kg (88 to 551 lb). An old male individual, named "Big Daddy", housed at Mamba Village Centre, Mombasa , Kenya , is considered to be one of the largest living Nile crocodiles in captivity. It measures 5 m (16 ft 5 in) in length and weighs 800 kg (1,800 lb). In 2007, at the Katavi National Park , Brady Barr captured

4416-538: The average length and weight of Nile crocodiles from Uganda and Zambia in breeding maturity was 3.16 m (10 ft 4 in) and 137.5 kg (303 lb). Per Graham (1968), the average length and weight of a large sample of adult crocodiles from Lake Turkana (formerly known as Lake Rudolf), Kenya was 3.66 m (12 ft 0 in) and body mass of 201.6 kg (444 lb). Similarly, adult crocodiles from Kruger National Park reportedly average 3.65 m (12 ft 0 in) in length. In comparison,

4512-402: The belly, which are much more conspicuous on some of the more modestly sized crocodilians. The species, however, also has small, oval osteoderms on the sides of the body, as well as the throat. The Nile crocodile shares with all crocodilians a nictitating membrane to protect the eyes and lachrymal glands to cleanse its eyes with tears. The nostrils , eyes, and ears are situated on the top of

4608-510: The bull Siam, and 2-year-old hippo bull Knautschke was saved from the gunfire in his animal house. Most damage was done during the Battle of Berlin : from 22 April 1945 onwards, the zoo was under constant artillery fire of the Red Army. Heavy fighting took place on the zoo area till 30 April, and safety measures forced the zoo keepers to kill some predators and other dangerous animals. Next to

4704-616: The crocodile's blood. Guggisberg (1972) had seen examples of birds picking scraps of meat from the teeth of basking crocodiles (without entering the mouth) and prey from soil very near basking crocodiles, so felt it was not impossible that a bold, hungry bird may occasionally nearly enter a crocodile's mouth, but not likely as a habitual behaviour. MacFarland and Reeder, reviewing the evidence in 1974, found that: "Extensive observations of Nile crocodiles in regular or occasional association with various species of potential cleaners (e.g. Plovers , Sandpipers , water dikkop ) ... have resulted in only

4800-480: The crocodiles observed by Cott (1961), if not disturbed, spent the hours from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. continuously basking with their jaws open if conditions were sunny. If their jaws are bound together in the extreme midday heat, Nile crocodiles may easily die from overheating. Although they can remain practically motionless for hours on end, whether basking or sitting in shallows, Nile crocodiles are said to be constantly aware of their surroundings and aware of

4896-646: The crocodiles of the Americas, namely the American ( C. acutus ), Cuban ( C. rhombifer ), Morelet's ( C. moreletii ), and Orinoco crocodiles ( C. intermedius ). The fossil species C. checchiai from the Miocene in Kenya was about the same size as the extant African Nile crocodiles and shared similar physical characteristics to this specific species. At one time, the fossil species Rimasuchus lloydi

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4992-401: The deaths of 20 adult gorillas, who tried to defend them. Dian Fossey tried unsuccessfully to prevent the export. They later died in 1978. On October 10, 1985, male chimp Petermann and female chimp Susi escaped from their cage. They knocked down a zookeeper and attacked director Dr. Gunther Nogge , lifethreateningly injuring him by biting his head and his face. Subsequently, both were shot by

5088-473: The director of Tierpark Berlin ), of selling hundreds of animals for slaughter, in some cases to breeders in China for potency-boosting drugs. The same year, Blaszkiewitz admitted to breaking the necks of several feral domestic housecat kittens found at the zoo. In 2009, a woman was mauled by polar bears after jumping into their exhibit. She was rushed to the hospital and survived. In 2023, employees from

5184-478: The eastern, southern, and central regions of the continent, and lives in different types of aquatic environments such as lakes, rivers, swamps and marshlands . It occasionally inhabits deltas , brackish lakes and rarely also saltwater. Its range once stretched from the Nile Delta throughout the Nile River . Lake Turkana in Kenya has one of the largest undisturbed Nile crocodile populations. Generally,

5280-416: The entire nature management. During World War II, the zoo area was hit by Allied bombs for the first time on 8 September 1941. Most damage was done during the bombardments on 22 and 23 November 1943. In less than 15 minutes, 30% of the zoo population was killed on the first day, and on the second day the aquarium building was completely destroyed by a direct hit. Of the eight elephants, only one survived,

5376-414: The exhibit includes palm cockatoo , blue-faced honeyeater , Bali mynah , fairy bluebird , wrinkled hornbill , Black-naped fruit dove , Palawan peacock-pheasant , green peafowl , sailfin lizard , Southern crowned pigeon , and reticulated python . Other animals include small-clawed otters , northern Luzon giant cloud rats , and lar gibbons . The new Asian elephant park opened in 2004 to replace

5472-417: The existing area expanded from 11 to 18.8 hectares and the first education center in a European zoo three years later. From 1981 to 2012, several new exhibits considered revolutionary were constructed including a great ape tropical house (1985), Southeast Asian rainforest house (2000), open-air Asian elephant enclosure, and West African-themed hippo and crocodile house (2010), as well the development of

5568-762: The existing elephant herd. On August 25, 2012, the Siberian tiger Altai attacked his zookeeper and fatally injured her. The animal had entered through an open security lock into a covered part of his enclosure, which the zookeeper was cleaning. The cat was shot by director Theo Pagel with a rifle to allow rescue workers access to the carer. On March 15, 2022, a fire broke out in the Southeast Asian rainforest house, killing at least 130 animals. Berlin Zoo The Berlin Zoological Garden (German: Zoologischer Garten Berlin )

5664-546: The extinction of Voay post-dates the arrival of Nile crocodiles on Madagascar. Nile Crocodiles occur in the western and southern parts of Madagascar from Sambirano to Tôlanaro . They have been spotted in Zanzibar and the Comoros in modern times, but occur very rarely. The species was previously thought to extend in range into the whole of West and Central Africa, but these populations are now typically recognized as

5760-577: The female is 3.05 m (10 ft 0 in), at which females would average about 116 kg (256 lb). This gives the Nile crocodile somewhat of a size advantage over the next largest non-marine predator on the African continent, the lion ( Panthera leo ), which averages 188 kg (414 lb) in males and 124 kg (273 lb) in females, and attains a maximum known weight of 313 kg (690 lb), far less than that of large male crocodiles. Nile crocodiles from cooler climates, like

5856-564: The ground. Smaller specimens can gallop , and even larger individuals are capable of occasional, surprising bursts of speed, briefly reaching up to 14 km/h (8.7 mph). They can swim much faster, moving their bodies and tails in a sinuous fashion, and they can sustain this form of movement much longer than on land, with a maximum known swimming speed of 30 to 35 km/h (19 to 22 mph). Nile crocodiles have been widely known to have gastroliths in their stomachs, which are stones swallowed by animals for various purposes. Although this

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5952-509: The head, so the rest of the body can remain concealed under water. They have a four-chambered heart , although modified for their ectothermic nature due to an elongated cardiac septum, physiologically similar to the heart of a bird, which is especially efficient at oxygenating their blood. As in all crocodilians, Nile crocodiles have exceptionally high levels of lactic acid in their blood, which allows them to sit motionless in water for up to 2 hours. Levels of lactic acid as high as they are in

6048-409: The larger the crocodilian gets, the stronger its bite is likely to be. Therefore, a male saltwater crocodile, which had attained a length around 4.59 m (15 ft 1 in), was found to have the most powerful biting force ever tested in a lab setting for any type of animal. The Nile crocodile is the largest crocodilian in Africa, and is generally considered the second-largest crocodilian after

6144-569: The largest one being 68.6 cm (27.0 in) in length with a mandibular length of 87 cm (34 in). Nile crocodiles with skulls this size are likely to measure in the range of 5.4 to 5.6 m (17 ft 9 in to 18 ft 4 in), which is also the length of the animals according to the museum where they were found. However, larger skulls may exist, as this study largely focused on crocodilians from Asia. The detached head of an exceptionally large Nile crocodile (killed in 1968 and measuring 5.87 m (19 ft 3 in) in length)

6240-874: The latter region in eastern and southern Democratic Republic of Congo, and along the Central African coastal Atlantic region (as far north to Cameroon). Likely a level of habitat segregation occurs between the two species, but this remains to be confirmed. Nile crocodiles may be able to tolerate an extremely broad range of habitat types, including small brackish streams, fast-flowing rivers, swamps , dams, and tidal lakes and estuaries . In East Africa, they are found mostly in rivers, lakes, marshes , and dams, favoring open, broad bodies of water over smaller ones. They are often found in waters adjacent to various open habitats such as savanna or even semi-desert but can also acclimate to well-wooded swamps, extensively wooded riparian zones , waterways of other woodlands and

6336-538: The local crocodiles have more osteoderms in their ventral surface than other known populations, and thus are of lesser value in leather trading, accounting for an exceptionally large (possibly overpopulated) local population there in the late 20th century. The segregation of the West African crocodile ( C. suchus ) from the Nile crocodile has been supported by morphological characteristics, studies of genetic materials and habitat preferences. The separation of

6432-399: The longest there being 3.65 m (12 ft 0 in). Crocodiles in aestivation are lethargic, entering a state similar to animals that hibernate . Only the largest individuals engaging in aestivation leave the burrow to sun on the warmest days; otherwise, these crocodiles rarely left their burrows. Aestivation has been recorded from May to August. Nile crocodiles usually dive for only

6528-422: The most common crocodilian in Africa. Among crocodilians today, only the saltwater crocodile occurs over a broader geographic area, although other species, especially the spectacled caiman ( Caiman crocodilus ) (due to its small size and extreme adaptability in habitat and flexibility in diet), seem to actually be more abundant. This species’ historic range, however, was even wider. They were found as far north as

6624-534: The most popular worldwide. Regular animal feedings are among its most famous attractions. Globally known animals like Knut , the polar bear , and Bao Bao  [ de ] , the giant panda have contributed to the zoo's public image. The zoo collaborates with many universities, research institutes, and other zoos around the world. It maintains and promotes European breeding programmes , helps safeguard several endangered species, and participates in several species reintroduction programs. Opened on 1 August 1844,

6720-405: The muscular tendons used to shut the jaws are similar in proportional size. Only the gharial ( Gavialis gangeticus ) (and perhaps some of the few very thin-snouted crocodilians) is likely to have noticeably diminished bite force compared to other living species due to its exceptionally narrow, fragile snout. More or less, the size of the tendons used to impart bite force increases with body size and

6816-465: The old elephant and antelope house. Since its inception, the zoo has had successes in elephant breeding, with the latest calf being born in 2023. The hippo and crocodile house Hippodom, which opened in 2010, has common hippopotamuses , sitatunga antelopes , and Nile crocodiles as the main attractions. Other species housed include aardvarks , Rodrigues' flying foxes , hamerkops , hadada ibises , cattle egrets , and grey parrots . Opened in 1971,

6912-514: The perimeter of forests. In Madagascar, the remnant population of Nile crocodiles has adapted to living within caves. Nile crocodiles may make use of ephemeral watering holes on occasion. Although not a regular sea-going species as is the American crocodile , and especially the saltwater crocodile , the Nile crocodile possesses salt glands like all true crocodiles (i.e., excluding alligators and caimans), and does on occasion enter coastal and even marine waters . They have been known to enter

7008-431: The police; Petermann within the area of the zoo, Susi nearby, in the basement of a neighbouring house. On March 6, 2012, a cheetah escaped its enclosure by jumping out of it. After strolling around the flamingo lake for 20 minutes, it returned to its enclosure by itself. On May 25, 2012, the female Asian elephant Chumpol, who was imported from Thailand , was killed while in a socialization conflict with other members of

7104-426: The presence of other animals. However, mouth-gaping (while essential to thermoregulation) may also serve as a threat display to other crocodiles. For example, some specimens have been observed mouth-gaping at night, when overheating is not a risk. In Lake Turkana , crocodiles rarely bask at all through the day, unlike crocodiles from most other areas, for unknown reasons, usually sitting motionless partially exposed at

7200-428: The saltwater crocodile and gharial reportedly both average around 4 m (13 ft 1 in), so are about 30 cm (12 in) longer on average, and the false gharial ( Tomistoma schlegelii ) may average about 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in), so may be slightly longer, as well. However, compared to the narrow-snouted, streamlined gharial and false gharial, the Nile crocodile is more robust and ranks second to

7296-403: The saltwater crocodile in total average body mass among living crocodilians, and is considered to be the second-largest extant reptile. The largest accurately measured male, shot near Mwanza, Tanzania, measured 6.45 m (21 ft 2 in) and weighed about 1,043–1,089 kg (2,300–2,400 lb). Another large male measuring 5.8 m (19 ft 0 in) in total length (Cott 1961)

7392-476: The sea in some areas, with one specimen having been recorded 11 km (6.8 mi) off St. Lucia Bay in 1917. Nile crocodiles have been recently captured in South Florida , though no signs that the population is reproducing in the wild have been found. Genetic studies of Nile crocodiles captured in the wild in Florida have revealed that the specimens are all closely related to each other, suggesting

7488-523: The southern tip of Africa, may be smaller, reaching maximum lengths of only 4 m (13 ft 1 in). A crocodile population from Mali , the Sahara Desert , and elsewhere in West Africa reaches only 2 to 3 m (6 ft 7 in to 9 ft 10 in) in length, but it is now largely recognized as a separate species, the West African crocodile . The Nile crocodile is presently

7584-432: The suitable moment to attack. They are agile predators and wait for the opportunity for a prey item to come well within attack range. Even swift prey are not immune to attack. Like other crocodiles, Nile crocodiles have a powerful bite that is unique among all animals, and sharp, conical teeth that sink into flesh, allowing a grip that is almost impossible to loosen. They can apply high force for extended periods of time,

7680-892: The surface in shallows, with no apparent ill effects from the lack of basking on land. In South Africa, Nile crocodiles are more easily observed in winter because of the extensive amount of time they spend basking at this time of year. More time is spent in water on overcast, rainy, or misty days. In the southern reaches of their range, as a response to dry, cool conditions that they cannot survive externally, crocodiles may dig and take refuge in tunnels and engage in aestivation . Pooley found in Royal Natal National Park that during aestivation, young crocodiles of 60 to 90 cm (24 to 35 in) total length would dig tunnels around 1.2 to 1.8 m (3 ft 11 in to 5 ft 11 in) in depth for most, with some tunnels measuring more than 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in),

7776-411: The tail and body. The underbelly of young crocodiles is yellowish green. As they mature, Nile crocodiles become darker and the cross-bands fade, especially those on the upper-body. A similar tendency in coloration change during maturation has been noted in most crocodile species. Most morphological attributes of Nile crocodiles are typical of crocodilians as a whole. Like all crocodilians, for example,

7872-476: The theories that they assist in digestion and staving off hunger. However, Alderton (1998) stated that a study using radiology found that gastroliths were seen to internally aid the grinding of food during digestion for a small Nile crocodile. Herodotus claimed that Nile crocodiles have a symbiotic relationship with a bird named the Trochilus which enter the crocodile's mouth and pick leeches feeding on

7968-456: The two is not recognized by the IUCN as their last evaluations of the group was in 2008 and 2009, years before the primary publications supporting the distinctiveness of the West African crocodiles. Although originally thought to be the same species as the West African crocodile , genetic studies using DNA sequencing have revealed that the Nile crocodile is actually more closely related to

8064-479: The use of duct tape to bind the jaws together. The broadest snouted modern crocodilians are alligators and larger caimans . For example, a 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in) black caiman ( Melanosuchus niger ) was found to have a notably broader and heavier skull than that of a Nile crocodile measuring 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in). However, despite their robust skulls, alligators and caimans appear to be proportionately equal in biting force to true crocodiles, as

8160-424: The wives of zookeepers. On 30 April, the zoo flak bunker surrendered. A count on 31 May 1945 revealed only 91 of 3,715 animals had survived, including two lion cubs, two hyenas, Asian bull elephant Siam, hippo bull Knautschke, ten hamadryas baboons , a chimpanzee, and a black stork . After the battle, some animals had escaped, while some of the killed animals were subsequently eaten by Red Army soldiers. Following

8256-413: The world of nocturnal animals. The bird house presents a walk-through aviary and offers a broad variety of forms, including several regularly breeding species of hornbills and many parrots. Numerous big aviaries show waders, herons and many other species. The Berlin Zoo is one of the few zoos to exhibit tuatara (in the aquarium) and Luzon tarictic hornbills . The aquarium was built in 1913 as part of

8352-464: The zoo stood the Zoo Tower , a huge flak tower that was one of the last remaining areas of Nazi German resistance against the Red Army, with its bunkers and anti-aircraft weapons defending against Allied air forces . At the entrance of the zoo, there was a small underground shelter for zoo visitors and keepers. During the battle, wounded German soldiers were taken care of here by female personnel and

8448-553: The zoo through the exotically designed Elephant Gate beside the aquarium on Budapester Straße or through the Lion Gate on Hardenbergplatz. The original Elephant Gate, built in 1899, was destroyed in World War II. It was faithfully reconstructed to original plans in 1984. The zoo has always maintained an extensive and diverse collection. At the outbreak of World War II there were 4000 birds and mammals of 1400 species, while

8544-516: The zoo's destruction, it and the associated aquarium was reconstructed on modern principles so as to display the animals in as close to their natural environment as feasible. The success in breeding animals, including some rare species, demonstrates the efficacy of these new methods. The zoo came to be located in West Berlin , hence a second zoo – Tierpark Berlin – was built in the East . There

8640-410: The zoo's education department made serious allegations of exploitation and disrespect. They also criticised the fact that quality in the area of education was no longer a priority, although this is one of the main tasks of a scientifically working zoo. These accusations highlighted problems within the organisation and led to a wave of terminations by the zoo and resignations from dissatisfied employees. As

8736-501: Was 5.5 m (18 ft 1 in) long weighed 905.7 kg (1,997 lb). On the other hand, another individual measuring 5.87 m (19 ft 3 in) in length was estimated to weigh between 770–820 kg (1,700–1,800 lb). In attempts to parse the mean male and female lengths across the species, the mean adult length was estimated to be reportedly 4 m (13 ft 1 in) in males, at which males would average about 280 kg (620 lb) in weight, while that of

8832-1191: Was among the largest Nile crocodiles ever recorded. It was estimated to weigh 1,082 kg (2,385 lb). Like all crocodiles, they are sexually dimorphic , with the males up to 30% larger than the females, though the difference is considerably less compared to some species, like the saltwater crocodile. Male Nile crocodiles are about 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20 in) longer on average at sexual maturity and grow more so than females after becoming sexually mature, especially expanding in bulk after exceeding 4 m (13 ft 1 in) in length. Adult male Nile crocodiles usually range in length from 3.3 to 5.0 m (10 ft 10 in to 16 ft 5 in) long; at these lengths, an average sized male may weigh from 150 to 750 kg (330 to 1,650 lb). Very old, mature ones can grow to 5.5 m (18 ft 1 in) or more in length (all specimens over 5.5 m (18 ft 1 in) from 1900 onward are cataloged later). Large mature males can reach 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) or more in weight. Mature female Nile crocodiles typically measure 2.2 to 3.8 m (7 ft 3 in to 12 ft 6 in), at which lengths

8928-410: Was found to have weighed 166 kg (366 lb), including the large tendons used to shut the jaw. The bite force exerted by an adult Nile crocodile has been shown by Brady Barr to measure 22 kN (5,000 lbf). However, the muscles responsible for opening the mouth are exceptionally weak, allowing a person to easily hold them shut, and even larger crocodiles can be brought under control by

9024-794: Was one of the first two giant pandas in Germany and became – for a time – the oldest known panda in zoos. He was together with the female panda Tjen Tjen (who died in 1984) given to West Germany by China in 1980. Between 1991 and 1993 Bao Bao was loaned to London Zoo. In 1995, back in his Berlin home, another female named Yan Yan was sent on loan from China in an attempt to mate Bao Bao. In spite of several artificial insemination experiments there were no offspring. Yan Yan died in 2007. In summer 2017, giant pandas returned to Berlin, when Jiao Quing and Meng Meng arrived on breeding loan from China. In September 2019, Meng Meng gave birth to twin male panda cubs, Pit und Paule. On 22 August 2024, Meng Meng gave again birth to twin panda cubs, this time two females. Fatou

9120-400: Was thought to be the closest relative of the Nile crocodile, but more recent research has indicated that Rimasuchus , despite its very large size (about 20–30% bigger than a Nile crocodile with a skull length estimated up to 97 cm (38 in)), is more closely related to the dwarf crocodile ( Osteolaemus tetraspis ) among living species. Two other fossil species from Africa retained in

9216-452: Was virtually no public attention paid to the zoo's Third Reich history until 2000, when Werner Cohn , whose father was a former shareholder, wrote to enquire about the fate of those shares. The zoo initially denied that Jewish shareholders were forced to sell their shares, but as a public scandal ensued, it ultimately acknowledged this. It commissioned a historian to identify these past shareholders and track down their descendants, according to

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