The Freshwater Crocodile, one of northern Australia's species of crocodile, is an interesting reptile. Although it is best to avoid these animals in the wild, it can be an incredible experience to observe their natural habits from a distance.

Usually Freshwater Crocodiles live in permanent bodies of freshwater like rivers or areas that usually are dry but seasonally fill with water. They usually lie camouflaged before catching prey with a quick sideways movement of their snouts. Often the main prey item for Freshwater Crocodiles is fish, though they have also been known to eat invertebrates and small vertebrates, including terrestrial animals. During the dry seasons when prey is less readily available, many Freshwater Crocodiles must fast. Freshwater Crocodiles are easily frightened, but if cornered will fight to protect themselves. Once they have bitten, they shake their heads back and forth, inflicting serious injury upon the aggressor.

By maturity, most Freshwater Crocodiles grow between two and three meters, though populations of smaller animals that reach only about a meter and a half in length have been noted. The narrow tapered snout often has brown colored bands over the top. Inside the mouth, between 68 and 72 narrow sharp teeth are present. The body is usually a light brown color with darker bands of brown. These bands are present over the entire tail and body up to about the neck. The undersides of Freshwater Crocodiles are usually creamy or off white in color. The bodies of Freshwater Crocodiles are armored with wide scales. The legs and flanks are covered in smaller shaped scales.

Freshwater Crocodiles are native to northern areas of Australia and are sometimes nicknamed Freshies. They will, however, inhabit mildly saline waters when such areas are free from Saltwater Crocodiles, which will drive Freshwater Crocodiles away. A subpopulation of shorter, darker colored Freshwater Crocodiles inhabits the upper regions of the range. It is believed that this discrepancy may be due to the lowered numbers of available prey in regions where shorter animals live.

The captive diet of Freshwater Crocodiles should reflect their natural diet of fish, invertebrates, and vertebrate animals. They should be allowed semi-aquatic habitats with plenty of room to exercise. Because Freshwater Crocodiles are large animals that can inflict serious injury, even if accidentally, it is recommended that only people with plenty of experience keeping large aggressive reptiles obtain these animals.

By the time they are about one and a half meters in length, Freshwater Crocodiles have reached sexual maturity. Around May, with the beginning of the dry season, Freshwater Crocodiles will mate. The gestation period lasts about six weeks. Between July and September, females usually dig their nests in sandy embankments at night. Many females may dig nests close to each other and some nests may be accidentally overturned. Between 4 and 20 eggs are deposited between 12 and 20 centimeters into the soil. The average clutch holds about 13 eggs that require between 75 and 85 days to hatch. Incubation temperatures are generally between 30 and 33 degrees Celsius. When incubated at 32 degrees Celsius, male Freshwater Crocodiles will hatch. Other temperatures produce females. Females return at the end of the incubation period and will carry their young to water using their mouths. In periods of food scarcity, they may eat their young. Heavy rains can result in nests that do not hatch, and usually only about one percent of the hatchlings reach maturity. Survivors return to the same nesting sites used by their mothers.