7 Crocodilian Species That Are Dangerous to Humans

Most people have a primordial fear of spiders and snakes and, of course, of predators that are larger than they are. So it makes sense to regard crocodilians (that is, the group of living alligators, crocodiles, caimans, gharials, and so on) with suspicion. Though several of their ancestors were more monstrous than their current forms, about half of the planet’s 23 living species of crocodilians are considered dangerous to people. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which is famous for its Red List that characterizes the conservation status of various species, suggests that crocodilians strike out at human beings for four reasons: (1) they’re hungry, (2) they’re defending their territory, (3) they’re defending their young, or (4) they intended to attack another species—such as a dog, a cat, or another domesticated animal—that just happened to be near a person at the time. The list below catalogues some of the most-aggressive crocodilian species.