Crocodiles are found mainly in the lowland, humid tropics of both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. True crocodiles (family Crocodylidae) inhabit most of Africa south of the Sahara, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, the East Indies, northern Australia, Mexico, Central America, the West Indies, and northern South America
. Specifically, the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is found in coastal and brackish water habitats throughout the Caribbean, southern Florida, Mexico, Central America, and northern parts of South America such as Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Venezuela. They thrive in mangrove swamps, lagoons, river mouths, and even saltwater environments like beaches and small islands
. In Australia, saltwater crocodiles occupy coastal zones including tidal rivers, estuaries, marshes, and mangrove forests across northern Australia from Western Australia to Queensland. Freshwater crocodiles are found in permanent and seasonal wetlands and billabongs in northern Australia and parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory
. Thus, crocodiles are widely distributed across tropical regions of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Australia, favoring freshwater and saltwater habitats such as rivers, swamps, lagoons, and coastal areas.
