The allotment crocodile now has a partner at the zoo

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• A 2.3-meter-long crocodile with around 70 teeth is new to Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna and comes from a confiscation from a private holding in Germany. Previously, the approximately 30-year-old animal lived for years in unsuitable conditions in an allotment garden.
• After a stopover at a rescue center in Munich, the crocodile was brought to Vienna at the beginning of April, where it has now been socialized with a female. The animals got on immediately, swam together and were already displaying mating behavior.
• The pair is considered genetically valuable for the zoo population, as crocodiles are rare in zoos. The species was once severely threatened by hunting, but is now no longer considered endangered thanks to captive breeding.

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As the zoo's newest resident, the reptile impresses with a length of more than 2.3 meters and almost 70 pointed teeth, according to the zoo in Austria's capital.

"We are incredibly happy that we have found a place for the animal at Schönbrunn Zoo where it can live in a species-appropriate way and where there is great expertise in caring for these reptiles," said Markus Baur, head of the reptile sanctuary in Munich.

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Kept in an allotment for years

The now 30-year-old crocodile was initially housed at the station in the Bavarian capital after the veterinary office closed its private home in Nordhausen (Thuringia) in May 2025. The stately animal lived there along with a number of strangulating and venomous snakes, some of which were several meters long and had also been confiscated. According to a statement from the city at the time, the owner had failed to improve the conditions in which the animals were kept despite previous requests to do so.

In Vienna, the cold-blooded animal now not only has a more comfortable home, but also a partner. This is because the female there was alone after the old male died last September.

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Dives together and even mating attempts

Initially, the crocodile was housed separately from the female after arriving in Vienna at the beginning of April. "During this time, the animals were already able to make contact with each other, see and smell each other and communicate", explained zoo curator Anton Weissenbacher.

The reunion then went well: "They immediately dived together, even made their first attempts at mating and have enjoyed being close to each other both on land and in the water ever since." Zoo spokeswoman Johanna Bukovsky added: "It's also very cute how they travel together."

Humpback crocodiles no longer endangered

Humpback crocodiles can only be found in a few zoological gardens, explained zoo director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck. "This pair is genetically particularly valuable for the continued existence of the zoo population." In their distribution areas in the wild in southern Mexico, Guatemala and Belize, the animals were almost wiped out 40 years ago because of their leather. Thanks to later reintroductions in zoos, the species is no longer considered endangered.

What is the crocodile's fat doing?

In Munich, the overweight crocodile was a topic of discussion. In fact, the animal is still "well-fed", said Bukovsky. It had arrived in Vienna from Munich in good health.