Henry’s birthday at Crocworld is usually celebrated on December 16. Staff at the center where this Nile crocodile has lived since 1985 say he was born around 1900 in the swamps of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. He measures 5 meters from snout to tail and weighs 700 kilograms. By comparison, an average Nile crocodile reaches about 4.5 meters and weighs roughly 410 kilograms. Nile crocodiles live not only in the Nile River but throughout Africa; they are the largest of Africa’s three crocodile species.
Since arriving at Crocworld, the giant Henry has mated with at least six females. Keepers estimate that in less than 40 years he has fathered around 10,000 baby crocodiles.
What else is known about Henry? In his younger years he attacked humans, though that chapter is long behind him. In 1903 the British explorer and elephant hunter Sir Henry Neumann captured the crocodile; Henry is named after him, IFLScience reports.
Today Henry shares his enclosure with another elderly crocodile, Colgate, who is about 90 years old. Zoologists say crocodiles can live up to 100 years in captivity. Some scientists suggest that crocodiles may exhibit negligible senescence, meaning they show little or no biological aging. That suggests crocodiles don’t die of old age per se but instead succumb to external factors like starvation, accidents, or disease. Still, crocodiles are not immortal — they are simply long-lived for animals of their size.
Researchers point to many factors for crocodiles’ long lifespans. Some suggest the reptiles owe their longevity to a unique community of gut microbes. As one study’s authors put it, ‘the gut microbiome of the crocodile and/or its metabolites produce substances that contribute to their resilience and longevity.’
