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Description

Update (28th of February 2021): I wasn't happy with my first attempt so I produced a completely new illustration.

The saltwater or estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest extant reptile and one of the only natural predators of adult humans. Few animals evoke such primal terror in the eyes of man and like many reptiles, saltwater crocodiles continue to grow throughout their entire lives, albeit at a slower rate once they reach maturity. This indeterminate growth rate allows some older individuals to reach exceptional sizes, far greater than the average size for the species.

In 1926, an enormous saltwater crocodile was shot and killed in the Dhamra River, located in the Bhitarkanika Sanctuary of Odisha, India. Nicknamed “Kalia,” this dark skinned crocodile was a notorious man eater, allegedly having terrorised the region for 50 years. Kalia was finally slain after the tall reeds he had retreated into after being wounded were set ablaze by local villagers. Kalia was estimated to measure between 701 and 731.5 cm (23 and 24 ft) TL (Total length), but was never formally measured (Daniel & Hussain, 1973).

The preserved skull of Kalia was kept at the palace of the Raja of Kanika, in Chandbali. It was discovered in January 1973 by J. C. Daniel and S. A. Hussain, who measured the skull from the tip of the snout to the posterior margin of the mandible at 100 cm. The skull was examined again by Sudhakar Kar, who measured the DCL (Dorsal cranial length) at 74.5 cm and the MHW (Maximum head width) at 48 cm. Kar also remeasured the total length of the skull at 99 cm. Kar mistakenly reported the TL as 750 cm (Kar, 2006b). The skull was examined a third time by Rom Whitaker, the DCL measured by him was 73.3 cm and the MHW was 45.8 cm (Whitaker & Whitaker, 2008). The differences in reported measurements could be explained by the skull having been damaged over time or by researcher error.

The estimated TL of Kalia should be treated as reliable. Assuming the reported size is accurate, Kalia would have had a TL to HL (Head length) ratio of 1:9.56. While saltwater crocodiles less than 510 cm TL normally have a TL to HL ratio of 1:7, in larger individuals this ratio is closer to between 1:8 and 1:9 (Fukeda et al., 2013). Therefore, a 701 cm TL crocodile could have had a TL to HL ratio of 1:9.56. Even in slightly smaller individuals the head is almost as proportionally short, a 615 cm TL individual killed on the 1st of July 1974 along the Mary River, Northern Territory, Australia possessed a HL of 66.6 cm (Webb & Messel, 1978), meaning the TL to HL ratio for this specimen was 1:9.23, almost as great as Kalia’s. It is very likely that Kalia was the largest saltwater crocodile to have ever been reliably estimated.

References:

Daniel, J. C., Hussain, S. A. (1973). “The record (?) salt water crocodile (Crocodylus porosus Schneider).” Journal, Bombay Natural History Society, 71(2): 309-312.

Fukuda, S., Saalfeld, W. K., Lindner, G., Nichols, T. (2013). “Estimation of Total Length from Head Length of Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in the Northern Territory.” Journal of Herpetology, 47(1): 34-40.

Kar, S. (2006b). “World’s largest crocodile skull?” Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter, 25(4): 21-22.

Whitaker, R., Whitaker, N. (2008). “Who’s got the biggest?” Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter, 27(4): 26-30.

Webb, G. J. W., & Messel, H. (1978). “Morphometric analysis of Crocodylus porosus from the north coast of Arnhem Land, northern Australia.” Australian Journal of Zoology, 26: 1-27.

Description

Update (28th of February 2021): I wasn't happy with my first attempt so I produced a completely new illustration.

The saltwater or estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest extant reptile and one of the only natural predators of adult humans. Few animals evoke such primal terror in the eyes of man and like many reptiles, saltwater crocodiles continue to grow throughout their entire lives, albeit at a slower rate once they reach maturity. This indeterminate growth rate allows some older individuals to reach exceptional sizes, far greater than the average size for the species.

In 1926, an enormous saltwater crocodile was shot and killed in the Dhamra River, located in the Bhitarkanika Sanctuary of Odisha, India. Nicknamed “Kalia,” this dark skinned crocodile was a notorious man eater, allegedly having terrorised the region for 50 years. Kalia was finally slain after the tall reeds he had retreated into after being wounded were set ablaze by local villagers. Kalia was estimated to measure between 701 and 731.5 cm (23 and 24 ft) TL (Total length), but was never formally measured (Daniel & Hussain, 1973).

The preserved skull of Kalia was kept at the palace of the Raja of Kanika, in Chandbali. It was discovered in January 1973 by J. C. Daniel and S. A. Hussain, who measured the skull from the tip of the snout to the posterior margin of the mandible at 100 cm. The skull was examined again by Sudhakar Kar, who measured the DCL (Dorsal cranial length) at 74.5 cm and the MHW (Maximum head width) at 48 cm. Kar also remeasured the total length of the skull at 99 cm. Kar mistakenly reported the TL as 750 cm (Kar, 2006b). The skull was examined a third time by Rom Whitaker, the DCL measured by him was 73.3 cm and the MHW was 45.8 cm (Whitaker & Whitaker, 2008). The differences in reported measurements could be explained by the skull having been damaged over time or by researcher error.

The estimated TL of Kalia should be treated as reliable. Assuming the reported size is accurate, Kalia would have had a TL to HL (Head length) ratio of 1:9.56. While saltwater crocodiles less than 510 cm TL normally have a TL to HL ratio of 1:7, in larger individuals this ratio is closer to between 1:8 and 1:9 (Fukeda et al., 2013). Therefore, a 701 cm TL crocodile could have had a TL to HL ratio of 1:9.56. Even in slightly smaller individuals the head is almost as proportionally short, a 615 cm TL individual killed on the 1st of July 1974 along the Mary River, Northern Territory, Australia possessed a HL of 66.6 cm (Webb & Messel, 1978), meaning the TL to HL ratio for this specimen was 1:9.23, almost as great as Kalia’s. It is very likely that Kalia was the largest saltwater crocodile to have ever been reliably estimated.

References:

Daniel, J. C., Hussain, S. A. (1973). “The record (?) salt water crocodile (Crocodylus porosus Schneider).” Journal, Bombay Natural History Society, 71(2): 309-312.

Fukuda, S., Saalfeld, W. K., Lindner, G., Nichols, T. (2013). “Estimation of Total Length from Head Length of Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in the Northern Territory.” Journal of Herpetology, 47(1): 34-40.

Kar, S. (2006b). “World’s largest crocodile skull?” Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter, 25(4): 21-22.

Whitaker, R., Whitaker, N. (2008). “Who’s got the biggest?” Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter, 27(4): 26-30.

Webb, G. J. W., & Messel, H. (1978). “Morphometric analysis of Crocodylus porosus from the north coast of Arnhem Land, northern Australia.” Australian Journal of Zoology, 26: 1-27.