Cassius big crocodile in captivity, he had just turned 120 years old – or so, since scientists cannot accurately calculate his age, so they settled on this as “official”.

The Green Island Wildlife Zoo in Australia is home to over 50 crocodiles, ranging from young reptiles to much older ones like Cassius.

Cassius has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records since 2011 as largest living crocodile in captivity and it is believed that if he were free, he could eat people.

Researchers captured the monstrous reptile in 1984 on a cattle ranch southwest of Darwin when its owners complained persistently about the disappearance of their animals. Even when Cassius was between 30 and 80 years old, he was the oldest ever caught on the continent.

In 1987 he was transferred from Australia’s Northern Territory to Green Island. distance 3200 km, by truck.

According to the zoo’s website, Cassius it is 5.5 meters long, weighing more than one ton, over 110 years old and eats chicken, fish, pork and “guests on the island”.

“Visitors to the island are one of Cassius’ favorite snacks. so he can’t wait to see you,” the site playfully writes under the photos of the giant “occupier”.

It is difficult for scientists to determine the age of a crocodile by its size. When animal-like reptiles reach maturity, their growth rate slows down and gradually stops. The largest crocodiles are usually those that grow up with unusual “explosions” at an early age.

“There is no way to know the true age of Cassius since he was born in the wild and his age is only an estimate,” explains Toddy Scott, Cassius’ guardian. “The birthday of a sea giant was basically an invention a few years ago,” he added.

“He was 5.13 meters and another 15 centimeters of his tail was missing, as well as a small part of his snout,” notes Graham Webb, a crocodile researcher who was involved in the process of capturing him almost forty years ago. “Then he was a big, old, wild crocodile. crocodiles this size they are not normalhe adds.

Four decades after its discovery, the giant crocodile is still growing, which is “unusual for an already large crocodile,” giving scientists “serious views on longevity” Webb says.

For Webb and his colleagues, capturing Cassius was a difficult task in the 1980s. Large crocodiles were the main targets of hunters, so scientists rarely had a chance to study them.

“Adult crocodiles that survived that hunting season were very wary,” says Webb. But Cassius is not at all restrained, their caretakers admit.

While other “older” reptiles tend to be docile and indifferent, “Cassius is one of the liveliest and most active crocodiles.”

Saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) typically live to be over 70 years old, according to Oceana. The largest ever caught was Lolong, a 6.17 m long beast from the Philippines.

Source: LiveScience/ABC Australia/Guinness.