🦈 Shortfin mako vs Nile crocodile 🐊
The shortfin mako is a bit bigger than the nile crocodile. They are about the same.
Getting the animals ready…
| Row | 🦈 Shortfin mako | 🐊 Nile crocodile |
|---|---|---|
| Size The shortfin mako is a bit bigger than the nile crocodile. | 10 to 12 ft3.2 to 3.8 m1 | 6.6 to 11 ft2 to 3.3 m2 |
| Top speed Neither has a checked number yet. | no checked number yet | no checked number yet |
| Weight They are about the same. | 132 to 298 lb60 to 135 kg1 | 154 to 220 lb70 to 100 kg2 |
| Lives We don't have a checked number for the nile crocodile yet. | 29 to 32 years29 to 32 years1 | no checked number yet |
| Eats The shortfin mako eats fish; the nile crocodile eats meat. | mostly fish such as bluefish, plus squid | insects when it is young, and big animals such as impala and buffalo when it is grown |
| Lives in They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. | open ocean in warm and cool seas around the world, mostly near the surface | freshwater lakes, rivers and coastal swamps south of the Sahara |
Which one? Shortfin mako or nile crocodile
🏁 Who would win the race?
We don't have a checked top speed for the shortfin mako or the nile crocodile yet, so there is no race.
We only race. Real animals mostly avoid each other. A race is the only fair contest: who reaches the tree first, by top speed. Our face-off books compare real numbers, and nobody gets hurt.
9 things to know about Shortfin mako vs Nile crocodile
- The shortfin mako: A sleek open-ocean shark that travels far across the sea.
- The nile crocodile: A big, strong river reptile that lives in Africa.
- They are different kinds of animal. The shortfin mako is a fish, so it breathes with gills; the nile crocodile is a reptile, so it has scaly skin.
- The shortfin mako is a bit bigger than the nile crocodile: 1 against 2.
- They are about the same. That is 1 for the shortfin mako and 2 for the nile crocodile.
- The shortfin mako eats mostly fish such as bluefish, plus squid. The nile crocodile eats insects when it is young, and big animals such as impala and buffalo when it is grown.
- The shortfin mako lives in open ocean in warm and cool seas around the world, mostly near the surface. The nile crocodile lives in freshwater lakes, rivers and coastal swamps south of the Sahara. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
- The shortfin mako: in danger (Endangered on the IUCN Red List). 3
- The nile crocodile: doing fine (Least Concern on the IUCN Red List). 4
Wow facts
🦈 Shortfin mako
- A shortfin mako travels very long distances.
- Females are bigger than males.
- It lives in warm and cool seas around the world.
🐊 Nile crocodile
- A mother Nile crocodile digs her nest in sandy soil near water.
- The youngest crocodiles eat insects.
- It is thought to live a very long time.
Questions kids ask about Shortfin mako and Nile crocodile
Which is bigger, shortfin mako or nile crocodile?
The shortfin mako is a bit bigger than the nile crocodile: 1 against 2.
Which is heavier, shortfin mako or nile crocodile?
They are about the same. That is 1 for the shortfin mako and 2 for the nile crocodile.
What do shortfin mako and nile crocodile eat?
The shortfin mako eats mostly fish such as bluefish, plus squid. The nile crocodile eats insects when it is young, and big animals such as impala and buffalo when it is grown.
Where do shortfin mako and nile crocodile live?
The shortfin mako lives in open ocean in warm and cool seas around the world, mostly near the surface. The nile crocodile lives in freshwater lakes, rivers and coastal swamps south of the Sahara. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
Who would win, shortfin mako or nile crocodile?
We never show fights, because a fight is not a fair way to compare animals. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. What we can compare is how big, how heavy, how fast, how long they live and what they eat, as above.
📤 Share this pair
The link carries only the two animals’ names: peabody.kids/animals/compare/mako-shark-vs-nile-crocodile
Where these numbers come from
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Isurus oxyrinchus (shortfin mako), checked 10 November 2026.
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Nile crocodile fact sheet, checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.