Henry, a massive 16-foot-long Nile crocodile weighing 700 kg, is now recognized as the world’s oldest living crocodile. At 123 years old, Henry has fathered over 10,000 offspring with his six female companions, according to the zoo where he resides.
Born on December 16, 1900, in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Henry became infamous for his enormous size and terrifying teeth. He is now believed to be the largest living crocodile, with a length comparable to a minibus. However, his history is far from peaceful.
In the early 1900s, Henry gained a deadly reputation among local tribes in Botswana for allegedly preying on human children. The tribes, desperate to end his reign of terror, sought the help of Sir Henry Neumann, a well-known hunter. Instead of killing Henry, Neumann captured him and placed him in captivity, where he has remained ever since.
For the past 30 years, Henry has lived at the Crocworld Conservation Centre in Scottburgh, South Africa. There, he fascinates visitors with his impressive size and long life, making him one of the oldest crocodiles in captivity. Although his past as a man-eater is dark, Henry now lives a quieter life as a zoo attraction.
Nile crocodiles, like Henry, are native to 26 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa and are known as fierce predators responsible for hundreds of deaths each year. While Henry holds the title of the oldest crocodile, the record for the largest crocodile belongs to Cassius, a 16-foot saltwater crocodile living in Australia. Captured in 1984, Cassius is a star attraction at Marineland Melanesia Crocodile Habitat on Green Island, Queensland.
