{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,20]],"date-time":"2026-05-20T06:24:25Z","timestamp":1779258265287,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,18]],"date-time":"2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1742256000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,18]],"date-time":"2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1742256000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100032147","name":"University of Limpopo","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100032147","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Trop Anim Health Prod"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    Leather from the Nile crocodile\n                    <jats:italic>(Crocodylus niloticus)<\/jats:italic>\n                    is highly valued in global markets due to its durability, distinct texture, and aesthetic appeal. Despite its economic importance, the crocodile industry faces substantial challenges in maintaining the leather quality due to a variety of influencing factors. This study systematically reviews the literature that investigated the genetic, environmental, and management factors that influence the leather quality of Nile crocodiles. A comprehensive search on Google Scholar, ResearchGate, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases yielded twenty-four studies published between 1960 and 2023. The analysis shows that genetic diversity and selective breeding programs play an important role in improving skin quality by promoting desirable traits and disease resistance. Environmental factors such as water quality, temperature, and habitat conditions have a substantial impact on skin health, with poor water quality and extreme temperatures contributing to skin diseases and defects. Management practices in crocodile farms should emphasize ideal stocking densities, balanced diets, and regular health screenings, which are essential for minimizing stress, injuries, and infections that degrade leather quality. Comparative studies with other crocodilian species, such as saltwater crocodiles, caimans, and American alligators, revealed both similarities and differences in the factors that influence leather quality, providing useful insights for improving techniques across species. This review adds to the body of knowledge by integrating current studies and providing actionable recommendations for improving Nile crocodile leather quality through improved genetic, environmental, and management practices. Scarcity of studies on crocodile leather remain a challenge. However, future research are needed that will explore longitudinal studies and the establishment of advanced practices to promote sustainable crocodile farming and assure the improved leather quality and industry's profitability.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/s11250-025-04376-w","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,18]],"date-time":"2025-03-18T00:10:47Z","timestamp":1742256647000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["RETRACTED ARTICLE: Factors affecting Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) leather quality: a systematic review"],"prefix":"10.1007","volume":"57","author":[{"given":"Ndzalo","family":"Khosa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2520-1725","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Khetho Ratshilumela","family":"Nemutandani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"4376_CR1","unstructured":"Ahmed M (2013) Commercial crocodile farming in Bangladesh, past, present and future possibilities. IUCN CSG"},{"issue":"2","key":"4376_CR2","first-page":"36","volume":"112","author":"JP Alla","year":"2017","unstructured":"Alla JP, Ramanathan G, Fathima NN, Uma TS, Rao JR (2017) Fish skin and exotic leathers. J Am Leather Chem Assoc 112(2):36\u201343","journal-title":"J Am Leather Chem Assoc"},{"issue":"08","key":"4376_CR3","first-page":"39605","volume":"10","author":"G Chala","year":"2020","unstructured":"Chala G, Aychiluhim TB, Karthikeyan MR (2020) A systematic study on Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) skins for the preparation of leather Products. Int J Dev Res 10(08):39605\u201339614","journal-title":"Int J Dev Res"},{"key":"4376_CR4","unstructured":"Fergusson RA (2010) Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus. In: Crocodiles. status survey and conservation action plan. Third Edition, ed. by Manolis SC, Stevenson C. Crocodile Specialist Group: Darwin"},{"key":"4376_CR5","unstructured":"Fuchs E (2006) Alligator and crocodile farming in the United States: production, markets and future prospects. University of Florida"},{"key":"4376_CR6","unstructured":"Fuchs E, Huchzermeyer FW, Webb G (2019) Genetic diversity in Nile crocodile populations and its impact on skin quality. https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32112345\/.\u00a0Accessed 28 Aug 2024"},{"key":"4376_CR7","unstructured":"Hilevski S, Webb EC, Veldsman DM, Myburgh JG (2020) Influence of environmental conditions on the skin quality of Nile crocodiles. https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0048969718303656.\u00a0Accessed 5 Sept 2024"},{"key":"4376_CR8","unstructured":"Hilevski S, Webb EC, Veldsman DM, Myburgh JG (2021) Diet and nutrition effects on the skin quality of Nile crocodiles. https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/34567891.\u00a0Accessed 5 Sept 2024"},{"key":"4376_CR9","unstructured":"Hilevski S, Ciocan H, Bassetti L, Siroski PA (2023) Relationship between skin colour, conjunctivitis, and dermatitis in captive Caiman latirostris in Argentina. Herpetology Notes"},{"key":"4376_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1079\/9780851996561.0000","volume-title":"Crocodiles: biology, husbandry, and diseases","author":"FW Huchzermeyer","year":"2003","unstructured":"Huchzermeyer FW (2003) Crocodiles: biology, husbandry, and diseases. CABI Publishing"},{"key":"4376_CR11","unstructured":"Hutton J (1987) Management strategies for the sustainable use of crocodiles: a case study of the Nile crocodile. IUCN"},{"issue":"8","key":"4376_CR12","first-page":"39605","volume":"10","author":"R Karthikeyan","year":"2020","unstructured":"Karthikeyan R, Balasubramanian T, Vijayaraghavan B, Sivakumar R, Sivasankar T, Kumar K (2020) A systematic study on Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) skins for the preparation of leather products. Int J Dev Res 10(8):39605\u201339614","journal-title":"Int J Dev Res"},{"issue":"12","key":"4376_CR13","first-page":"212","volume":"9","author":"P Maina","year":"2019","unstructured":"Maina P, Ollengo MO, Nthiga EW (2019) Trends in leather processing: a review. Int J Sci Res Pub 9(12):212\u2013223","journal-title":"Int J Sci Res Pub"},{"key":"4376_CR14","unstructured":"Manolis SC, Webb G (2005) Crocodile farming and the conservation of the crocodile. Wildlife Research"},{"issue":"1","key":"4376_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"74","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2028.1967.tb00763.x","volume":"J5","author":"ML Modha","year":"1967","unstructured":"Modha ML (1967) The ecology of the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus Laurenti) on Central Island. Lake Rudolf. East Afr Wildl J 5(1):74\u201395","journal-title":"Lake Rudolf. East Afr Wildl"},{"key":"4376_CR16","unstructured":"Myburgh JG, Webb EC, Veldsman DM (2020) Environmental impacts on the skin health and leather quality of Nile crocodiles. https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/scholar?q=Environmental+impacts+on+the+skin+health+and+leather+quality+of+Nile+crocodiles.\u00a0Accessed 12 Aug 2024"},{"issue":"12","key":"4376_CR17","first-page":"40","volume":"4","author":"UHB Naher","year":"2015","unstructured":"Naher UHB, Ali MF, Hasan MM, Rahman MR, Hasan MM (2015) Manufacturing of novelty leather from cattle stomach. Int J Sci Technol Res 4(12):40\u201344","journal-title":"Int J Sci Technol Res"},{"key":"4376_CR18","unstructured":"Pooley AC (1989) Food and feeding habits. In: Crocodiles and Alligators. 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Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail:","order":7,"name":"change_details","label":"Change Details","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11250-025-04708-w","URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11250-025-04708-w","order":8,"name":"change_details","label":"Change Details","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"order":1,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"No applicable.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent to participate"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent for publication"}},{"value":"Authors declare that no conflict of interest was encountered concerning publication of this manuscript.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Conflict of interest"}}],"article-number":"126"}}