Distribution


Crocodylians once lived all over the world. Up to 5 million years ago crocodylians could have been found living in Europe and other northern landmasses. In the early Tertiary there were crocodylians living in the Canadian arctic as well. Their distribution over the globe was phenomenal. In fact the only place that crocodylian fossils have yet to be found is Antarctica. Judging by its size and harsh climate, it's easy to understand why there is a lack of large amounts of fossils being discovered there. Still there's no reason why these animals wouldn't be found in deposits as recent as the Eocene.

Today's crocodylians can mostly be found in all the worlds tropics. The only exception to this would be the alligatorids which can withstand colder temperatures and thus live in the more temperate climates of North America and northern China. Even though they have a more restricted distribution and their diversity is nowhere near the amount that it was in the past, crocodylians are still highly successful animals able to take full advantage of their environments. All but a few species are the top predators of their respective areas.