Cassius the Croc Enters Guinness World Records
Cassius the Croc Enters Guinness World Records Reuters

The world's largest crocodile in captivity has been given a place in the Guinness World Records.

The crocodile, named Cassius, after the 1960's American heavyweight is 5.2m long (17ft) and weighs in at more than 2,200 lbs. Cassius is housed at Marineland Melanesia's crocodile park; he's been in the care of owner George Craig for all his captive life.

The two have developed a working relationship in that time, and it has been said that the two have forged a mutual respect.

"You've got to have a croc mind for a start," George told AAP.

"Cassius is a reptile, he's cold blooded, and he's pretty cold blooded if I can put it that way. George said their relationship was such that he could probably swim in the water in Cassius' enclosure without being attacked, but he's not trying it any time soon. I like life too much," he added.

Guinness World Records spokesman Chris Sheedy said Cassius was one of a few record holders to be honoured with a double-page spread in the 2012 Book of Records, launched on Thursday.

"We thought this record was so amazing that it deserved its own two-page spread and that's now going out in four million copies worldwide," he said.

Cassius was caught in the Northern Territories in 1984 and has lived on Green Island off the north Queensland coast for the past 24 years.