Weighing in at 700 kg and nearly 5 m long, Henry was born on December 16, 1900, in the Okavango Delta.
Image: Crocworld Conservation Centre, Scottburgh
On Monday, 16 December, Crocworld Conservation Centre in Scottburgh will hold a birthday party for the centre’s most famous resident crocodile, Henry, who is turning 124 years old.
Believed to be the oldest known Nile crocodile in captivity, Henry has been a resident at the centre since 1985, when he was 85 years old.
Weighing in at 700 kg and nearly 5 m long, Henry was born on December 16, 1900, in the Okavango Delta, where he was believed to have preyed on children from the local area.
The tribal leaders, desperate to end his bloodthirsty reign, sought the help of a famed hunter, Sir Henry Neumann, after whom the crocodile was named. Rather than killing the beast, Neumann captured Henry, sentencing him to a lifetime of captivity.
Henry shares his home with his six wives and is proud to have fathered more than 10,000 offspring during his time at Crocworld alone.
Rumours about his death were circulated last year; however, these were quickly rebutted by Crocworld, who responded by saying, "He might be missing a few toes and teeth, but after 122 years on the planet, that’s to be expected! He’s happy, healthy, and ready to welcome visitors—from a distance".
Every year the Crocworld team marks his birthday with a celebration on December 16, complete with cupcakes for the guests.
This is also a chance to meet one of Henry’s oldest friends, Colgate. Clocking in at some 90-odd years, Colgate also happens to be the second-biggest croc at the centre, and quite the celebrity himself!
The Nile crocodile is one of the most dangerous species of crocodile in Sub-Saharan Africa and is responsible for hundreds of human deaths every year.
While Henry is the oldest crocodile, the largest crocodile in captivity was Cassius, a 5.48-meter saltwater crocodile who was believed to be around 110 years old from Queensland, Australia. Cassius died last month on November 3.
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