Attack of the Alien Invaders, National Geographic Magazine: Reptile On Display With Bound Mouth
A woman at the National Reptile Expo in Dayton Beach, Florida, holds an endangered Chinese crocodile that is protected by Chinese and International law. Related to the American alligator, the Chinese reptile is smaller, usually only attaining a length of five feet.
While it originally ranged through much of China, this species’ wild habitat has been reduced to little more than a few ponds containing a small number of animals (fewer than 200 individuals, only approximately 50 of which are mature) along the lower Yangtze River. Its population reduction has been mostly due to conversion of its habitat to agricultural use. The building of dams in the wetlands is also destroying its home.
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