Top 5 Largest Reptiles in the World

Boasting a rich evolutionary history, reptiles evolved 320 million years ago during the Carboniferous period. Certain species, like crocodiles, have exhibited minimal changes over the last 300 million years, underscoring their remarkable resilience.
Delve into the realm of the world’s largest reptiles. This comprehensive guide includes a list of the largest reptiles still found on Earth, showcasing their formidable power and impressive size.
Top 5 Largest Reptiles
1: Saltwater Crocodile

Belonging to the order of crocodilians, the saltwater crocodile, the world’s largest reptile, is a formidable predator capable of consuming any animal that ventures too close and drowning terrestrial creatures like birds and mammals.
Measuring over 23 feet in length and weighing more than 2,200 pounds, these creatures live in brackish water along coastlines, though they can survive in full-salinity seawater.
Saltwater crocodiles, with their unique hunting abilities, possess powerful jaws and teeth that can stretch up to five inches in length. They can withhold their breath for long periods, a trait that aids their underwater hunting. While they spend most of their time in the water, they must come ashore to warm up and nest, showcasing their adaptability.
Saltwater crocodiles reproduce by internal fertilization, with females inspecting their nests after laying 50 eggs. The temperature determines the gender of the hatchlings. Despite having few natural predators, they face significant threats from human activities, including hunting for their eggs, meat, and skin.
Amazing facts about saltwater crocodiles:
- Adult saltwater crocodiles have an average of 66 teeth and the strongest bite pressure of any animal in the world.
- Female saltwater crocodiles are smaller, reaching 10 feet and weighing 330 pounds.
- Saltwater crocodiles have the incredible ability to live for more than 70 years.
- Saltwater crocodiles communicate through various sounds, including barking, hissing, growling, and chirping.
2: Komodo Dragon

The Komodo dragon, belonging to the order Squamata and second in the list of largest reptiles, is an endemic Indonesian species predominantly found on Komodo Island and its neighboring islands. This formidable creature earned its name from the dragon-like appearance observed during its first human encounters.
With a weight of 300 pounds (average 176 pounds), male species can grow up to ten feet long, while females can grow up to eight feet long. Komodo dragons have 60 sharp teeth that can replace themselves if damaged or lost. Their saliva contains 50 different types of toxic bacteria, which can cause instant fatal infections.
Komodo dragons are strong swimmers with a muscular tail nearly as long as their bodies. Their powerful claws and legs enable them to run quickly in moments. Komodo dragons are strong predators capable of taking on larger prey, including humans.
The highly developed sense of smell, coupled with forked tongues, enables them to detect warm-blooded animals from a distance of up to five miles away. The Jacobson’s organ, situated on the roof of their mouth, analyzes this information and signals prey direction.
Amazing facts about Komodo dragons:
- Komodo dragons can swallow large amounts of meat quickly, consuming up to 8% of their body weight in one meal.
- They seek refuge at night in burrows that are just big enough to escape the day’s heat.
3: Green Anaconda

Green anacondas, belonging to the order Squamata, are native to South America and are known for their enormous size and weight. Some species can reach lengths of up to 30 feet (9 meters) and weigh more than 550 pounds.
Green anacondas have an olive green background with black patches, narrow heads, and elevated eyes. The loosely connected jaw bones allow them to open wide and ingest larger prey.
These nocturnal snakes spend the majority of their time swimming in water, floating at the surface, and burrowing in muddy patches.
As nonvenomous constrictors, green anacondas prey upon various animals: wild pigs, deer, birds, turtles, capybaras, caimans, and jaguars. They can swallow prey whole and go weeks or months without eating after a meal.
Amazing facts about green anaconda:
- Green anacondas are excellent swimmers, but they can also hang from branches to dry off.
- The cloaca, the only part of the anaconda without scales, emits a poisonous musk that scientists believe keeps ticks and leeches from attaching to it.
- They prefer solitude and spend the majority of their lives alone.
4: Leatherback Sea Turtle

The leatherback sea turtle, belonging to the order Testudines, is the largest living species in the Dermochelyidea family. Renowned for their extensive migratory range, these sea turtles can travel an average of 3,700 miles between feeding and breeding areas.
Leatherbacks can grow over 6.5 feet long and weigh 2,000 pounds. Remarkably, its unique thermoregulatory adaptation ensures that core body temperatures remain stable even at extreme depths.
They feature a distinct carapace highly specialized for diving up to the depths of 4,000 feet. Its bony shell with seven ridges is covered in a leathery layer of black or brown skin. Equipped with pointed tooth-like cusps and sharp-edged jaws, these turtles are adept hunters of soft-bodied open ocean prey such as jellyfish and salps.
Leatherback sea turtles are found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide, including the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Hawaii. They spend the majority of their lives at sea, occasionally hunting for prey in coastal waters.
Amazing facts about leatherback sea turtles:
- Leatherback turtles are the only species without a hard shell or scales.
- They are known for their tough, rubbery skin.
- They have remained unchanged for millions of years, dating back to the dinosaur age.
- The leatherback sea turtle has lost 40% of its global population in the last three generations.
- Since 2003, Malaysia has only observed one or two leatherback nests.
5: Nile Crocodile

The Nile crocodile (Order: Crocodilia) makes its place in the list of the largest reptiles. It inhabits freshwater lakes, rivers, swamps, and brackish waters across southern and eastern Africa, as well as Madagascar.
As Africa’s largest crocodile, the Nile Crocodile can attain a length of 20 feet and a weight of 1,650 pounds, with an average size of 16 feet and 500 pounds.
The Nile crocodile has a versatile diet which includes mostly fish, but it can also attack zebras, small hippos, porcupines, birds, and other crocodiles. It can scavenge carrion and consume up to half of its body weight in a single feeding.
Nile crocodiles are unique predators because of their caring parental traits. Unlike most reptiles, which lay eggs and then depart, they guard their nests until the eggs hatch, gently rolling them in their mouths to help the hatchlings.
Amazing facts about Nile crocodiles:
- Adult females can protect baby crocodiles by placing them in their mouths or gular pouches in case of danger.
- Crocodiles hunt cooperatively by forming a semi-circle across a river, herding and eating fish closest to them while migrating.
Conclusion
Reptiles, with their varied morphologies and adaptations, are a global phenomenon. They can be found on all continents, from the lush rainforests of South America to the arid deserts of Australia. This global distribution underscores the importance of our collective efforts in understanding and conserving these unique creatures.
The above discussed top five largest reptiles, saltwater crocodile, Komodo dragon, green anaconda, leatherback sea turtle, and Nile crocodile help us understand how vast the spectrum of reptilian diversity truly is, showcasing the incredible range of sizes, habitats, and ecological roles these ancient creatures occupy on our planet.
FAQs
Which are the 2 largest reptiles living?
The two largest living reptiles are saltwater crocodiles (over 23 feet long and weighing 2,200 pounds) and Nile crocodiles (16 feet long and 500 pounds).
What is the largest land reptile ever?
The Komodo dragon is the world’s largest living lizard and land reptile, with a length of 10 feet and a weight of 300 pounds (the average weight is 176 pounds).
Which is bigger, a crocodile or a Komodo dragon?
Crocodiles, which can reach over 23 feet in length and weigh 2,200 pounds, are larger than Komodo dragons, which are 10 feet in length and 300 pounds in weight (average weight 176 pounds).