Nesting Ecology of West African Dwarf Crocodiles in a Heavily Disturbed Landscape in Chirehin, Ghana

West African dwarf crocodiles (Osteolaemus sp. nov. cf. tetraspis) are among the most threatened crocodilians in world due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss-related population decline. Despite this, many questions about their basic ecology remain unanswered this inadequate data hampers effective crocodile management. We describe incubation temperature, nesting success, hatching rate, clutch size of crocodiles. monitored 18 nests from 2017 2018 seasons Chirehin Community Land—a highly disturbed agricultural matrix climatic transition zone Ghana. used Hobo tidbit® loggers monitor egg chamber temperature effect ambient on nest temperature. The daily mean recorded during study was 30.7°C (±SD = 0.8°C, n 240, range 28–33°C) it is congruent with reported value for species. findings suggest a weak positive no correlation between indicating almost independent found 8 eggs per (SD ±2; 5–13; 17) supporting previous reports that genus has low size. success across two were 77.8% 75.3% ±41.9, 18), respectively. Three destroyed by flood one an unknown predator suspected be Nile lizard. Generally, selected forest patches within landscape need protect remaining patches. Efforts should made repeat species’ improved understanding its ecology.