The West African Dwarf Crocodile is sometimes known as the Broad-Snouted Crocodile, Black Crocodile, African Caiman, Bony Crocodile, African Broad-Nosed Crocodile, or Rough-Backed Crocodile. They are not suitable pets for private ownership, being somewhat aggressive and difficult to care for, but they are often kept by zoos.

Making its home in swamps and near slow-moving, fresh water in rain forests, the West African Dwarf Crocodile is native to humid areas of western Africa. While preferring regions where water is permanent, as in the aforementioned swamps and rainforests, the African Dwarf Crocodile will sometimes live in pools on savannahs during the wet season, and abandon the burrow in the dry season. They are nocturnal animals, and spend most of the day in the burrows they dig near water. The burrows are often partially underwater, with the entrance entirely submerged. At night, the West African Dwarf Crocodile leaves its burrow to either hunt for food near the water or further out on land. They usually remain in forested areas. The West African Dwarf Crocodile feeds primarily on fish, amphibians and crustaceans, although they may eat other small terrestrial animals when their chosen diet cannot be found. During the wet season, the African Dwarf Crocodile feeds primarily on fish. When the dry season comes and fish are very scarce, they reduce their intake drastically and feed on the more readily available crustaceans. Crocodiles generally hunt by waiting until something splashes near it or comes close enough to snap at.

West African Dwarf Crocodiles rarely exceed 5 feet, although one male specimen was recorded at 6 feet, 3 inches. The female Dwarf Crocodiles average between 3 and 4 feet and often weigh as little as 40 pounds. The West African Dwarf Crocodile's neck, tail, and back are heavily armored. Their backs and sides are dark, although juvenile's bodies and tails have banding of a lighter color. There are usually yellow patterns on the head. The underbelly has black patches on a yellow background. Their snout is short and blunt, similar to that of a caiman. The Dwarf Crocodile like other crocodiles, and unlike other reptiles, has a four-chambered heart instead of a three chambered one.

West African Dwarf Crocodiles rarely attack humans, although when they lose their fear of humans they may snap at them. West African Dwarf Crocodiles are endangered because their habitats are being destroyed and they are often killed for their skins and meat. In the wild, West African Dwarf Crocodiles can be found in Angola, Burkina Faso, Benin, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, the Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Zaire and Togo.

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West African Dwarf Crocodiles are not sexually mature until between 5 and 6 years of age. A mature male will climb onto the back of a floating female. After several weeks, the female lays between 5 and 15 eggs in a nest she builds and then covers. She then remains by the nest for several months, guarding the eggs from predators. The babies vocalize as they begin to hatch. When this happens, the mother carries the babies to water. She continues to guard her young for several months. The hatchlings feed on insects and small frogs and fish. When threatened, the hatchlings call their mother by vocalizing.