DUBAI 12 May 2017: Almost two years after they welcomed their first three offspring at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, King and Queen Croc are getting ready to meet their latest additions to the family.
Queen Croc is now more than 80 years old and laid 51 eggs on March 4, 2017, with King Croc having been a dedicated partner for more than 20 years. To accommodate the eggs, Queen Croc built a nest in their customised habitat at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, where she buried the eggs whilst the embryos grow.
Of the 51 eggs, 25 have been placed in incubation to enhance the hatch rate, whilst the rest remain in the nest closely guarded by Queen Croc, where they will stay until the hatchlings are ready, around 90 days after being laid.
Fun facts about baby saltwater crocodiles:
• The gender of the hatchling is determined by the incubation temperature, with lower temperatures producing females and higher temperatures producing males
• Incubation takes approximately 90 days
• When the baby crocs are about to hatch, they make chirping sounds from within their eggs to alert their mother and siblings that it’s time to hatch
• Baby crocodiles have an ‘egg tooth’ which they use to break open the shell from the inside
• Once hatched, mummy crocodiles help the hatchlings to reach the water, even carrying them in her mouth if needed
• The babies are born with teeth and start eating from the first day they are born
Visit Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo to see Queen Croc’s nest and the incubated eggs before they hatch! While you’re there, see the other babies including hedgehogs, tiny jellyfish and clown fish, stingrays, sharks and more!
To see the crocodile eggs, Queen Croc’s nest and the new babies first-hand, book your tickets at www.thedubaiaquarium.com or call +9714 448 5200 for more information.
What: Babies at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
Time: 10am to 10pm daily
Venue: Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai
By Angel Chan