124 & counting ...

Credit: Shutterstock | The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel

124 & counting, Henry keeps on truckin' as crocs never seem to age unlike rubes like us. :)

At 124 years old, Henry is officially the world’s oldest known crocodile, and his story is nothing short of extraordinary. This colossal reptile has not only lived a long life, but has also fathered thousands of offspring over his remarkable journey. Today, Henry resides at Crocworld Conservation Centre in South Africa, where he continues to thrive despite his age.

Born around 1900 in the Okavango Delta of Botswana, Henry’s life has been filled with adventure. He was captured in 1903 by an elephant catcher named Sir Henry, which is how he got his name. After spending a few decades in the wild, he moved to Crocworld in 1985, where he quickly became a central figure in their conservation efforts. Since then, Henry has mated with at least six females, and his keepers estimate he has fathered over 10,000 offspring during his time in captivity.

Henry’s size is equally impressive. The massive crocodile measures over 5 meters (16 feet 5 inches) from snout to tail and weighs in at a staggering 700 kilograms (1,543 pounds). To put that in perspective, the average Nile crocodile reaches around 4.5 meters (14.7 feet) in length and weighs roughly 410 kilograms (900 pounds). Henry’s sheer size makes him a true outlier, not just in terms of age, but in terms of physicality as well.

Some researchers have proposed that the secret to crocodile longevity lies in their gut microbiome. The microorganisms in their digestive systems may play a crucial role in maintaining their health and extending their lifespan. One study even suggests that the substances produced by the gut microbiome could contribute to their resilience and longevity. While it’s still unclear whether this theory holds up, it adds an intriguing layer to our understanding of these ancient creatures.

Nile croc

Salties are even bigger.

And ... they've been around for a long, long time ...

Crocodilians and birds are members of the clade Archosauria. Archosaurs are distinguished from other reptiles particularly by two sets of extra openings in the skull; the antorbital fenestra located in front of the animal's eye socket and the mandibular fenestra on the jaw. Archosauria has two main groups: the Pseudosuchia (crocodilians and their relatives) and the Avemetatarsalia (dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and their relatives).[10] The split between these two groups is assumed to have happened close to the Permian–Triassic extinction event, which is informally known as the Great Dying.[11]