HolzWald Crocodile small

This compact crocodile runs 14cm long but only 5.3cm tall and 2cm wide, so it hugs the ground the way a real crocodile does. The low, stretched shape is the point of the piece, and it sits flat and steady on any surface.

It is carved lying low with a long snout, a ridged back and a tapering tail, the still, waiting posture of a basking crocodile. As one of the carved wooden animals in the range, its single flowing line reads clearly as a reptile from across the room.

It is the more compact crocodile in the HolzWald line, sized to fit a child's hand and to tuck neatly into a riverbank scene. Its slim, low body makes it easy to slide through pretend water or hide among block reeds during play.

It suits river, swamp and jungle play, lurking at a block water's edge, drifting through a pretend lagoon, or surprising the other HolzWald animals that come to drink. Being open-ended, it can be a lazy basker or a snapping hunter as the child decides.

Yes. It is carved from one solid piece of local wood with rounded, sanded edges, so the long low body handles regular play without weak joints. There are no separate legs, jaw or small parts to detach, and it rests flat without rolling.

It is coloured with natural Biofa dyes and polished with oil for a soft matte finish. To care for it, wipe with a dry or lightly damp cloth, keep it out of water and the dishwasher, and store it away from long direct sun to protect the dye.

It is handcrafted in a small Georgian workshop that has carved wooden animals since 1997, employing people from the local community including workers with disabilities. Each crocodile is hand-finished, so its grain and colour differ slightly from every other.