Henry lives with an estimated age of 123 years, making him the oldest known crocodile in the world and a minor legend in the animal kingdom. Over the years, he has had an extraordinary life, particularly towards its end, when he fathered more than 10,000 offspring during his time at the conservation center in Crocworld, South Africa.
Henry: The oldest known crocodile
Henry’s stature is as awe-inspiring as his age. This rare reptile measures over 5 meters (16.5 feet) and weighs about 700 kilograms (1,543 pounds). For reference, the average Nile crocodile generally extends around 4.5 meters (14.7 feet) and weighs about 410 kilograms (900 pounds), affording Henry the status of not just the most mature but indeed one of the largest crocs ever.
While born in the wild, Henry is believed to have been hatched around 1900 in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, and so his actual birth date was never really recorded. In 1985, Henry was sent to Crocworld, center stage for neither one’s research nor admiration. Over the time he has spent there, the best estimates by his keepers at the conservation center place the number of females he has mated with at more than six and the count of descendants he has sired at thousands.
Impressive age and size
It is said Henry celebrates his birthday on December 16, while he turns 124 this December. His name, however, does carry an interesting story. Some reports suggest that he was named after Sir Henry, an elephant catcher who grabbed him in 1903, while Crocworld’s website states that he passed most of his life in the Okavango Delta before being taken to a conservation center. Stated merely, Henry at the time of his growth is praiseworthy, yet he is not the only one around. This retirement has produced other inmates like Colgate, another aged crocodile of similar reckoning, estimated to have reached 90 years of age.
Theories explained: Why they live so long
It is famous that crocodiles zoo-bound can live into their hundreds, but recent research infers they are showing negligible senescence: organisms that do not show regular aging processes. A given action may decrease its susceptibility to senescence signs, with some researchers proposing that crocodiles do not die of old age in the conventional sense. Rather, accidents, disease, and starvation.
Microorganisms are said to play a major role in other theories hypothesized to explain their incredible longevity. Their presence in the digestive tract enables the crocs to survive and endure great challenges throughout their years. Henry’s long life coupled with greater size and a reproductive capacity makes him a true wonder of nature.
