Which Saharan animal is the only crocodilian known to survive in the Gueltas of Mauritania?

The West African crocodile is the crocodilian known to survive in the gueltas of Mauritania, isolated permanent or seasonal pools in the Sahara.

In Mauritania’s Adrar region, small crocodile populations persist in waterholes such as the gueltas of Matmata. These habitats are extremely unusual because they retain water and support wildlife within an otherwise arid landscape. The crocodiles are separated from the much larger populations found in wetter rivers and wetlands farther south.

The species has sometimes been confused with the Nile crocodile because older classifications grouped several African crocodiles together. Modern genetic research recognizes the West African crocodile, Crocodylus suchus, as distinct from Crocodylus niloticus, although identification in the field can still be difficult.

Saharan crocodiles survive through a combination of sheltered pools, prey availability, and tolerance of long dry periods. Their isolation makes them vulnerable to falling water levels, disturbance, and loss of connections between wetland refuges.