Our article on the site about animals Zverey.Ru this time is dedicated to crocodiles, but in a somewhat narrow aspect. We will talk about the nutrition of these carnivorous reptiles. Adults and small individuals feed differently. You will learn things about the diet that you might not immediately believe. We will talk about the strength of a crocodile's jaws, and why it is able to cope with both large and small prey. They also swallow completely inedible objects. Which ones and why - read on.
What do small and large crocodiles eat?
Let us note right away that reptiles are predators, and crocodiles are reptiles, therefore... All crocodiles eat meat! However, further we will have to make a few clarifications, because with crocodiles and alligators not everything is so simple...
Young, at the very beginning of life, they eat insects. As these reptiles grow older, they begin to catch larger animals. Their diet also includes fish and small frogs. Once crocodiles reach about one meter in length, they gradually switch to small mammals. For young individuals, insects, fish and frogs are the main prey.
For large (adult) crocodiles, fish still makes up the majority of the diet. The largest species can eat quite large animals, including some cattle. The footage that is usually shown on TV is actually very misleading and does not fully describe the normal behavior of crocodiles. Often this is done so that the picture for television viewers is very dramatic.
Even though crocodiles are carnivores, they also need to eat vegetables! It sounds quite strange, but in fact, when they eat prey, they get not only its meat, but also what that animal recently ate. If there is plant material in the animal's stomach, then the crocodile gets the same thing! In captivity, crocodiles are also known to eat fruits and vegetables.
How crocodiles catch prey and eat
And now we will talk about how these reptiles hunt. Crocodile jaws are not designed for chewing. The teeth are conical and very large, this is necessary for moving food inside and chewing it into pieces. Because they cannot chew, crocodile sometimes have to tear off pieces of food to kill prey faster. This may seem very unpleasant, but it is necessary for the reptile, because this is the only way he can eat anything.
Crocodiles have evolved to survive at the water's edge. If you look closely at the head of a crocodile, you will see that almost all of its sense organs are located on its head. The nostrils are located on the front upper part of the jaw, where the eyes and ears are also located. The ears are small slits directly behind the eyes. With these sensory organs on the top of its head, a crocodile can almost completely disappear into the water. In this position, he can see, hear, smell and breathe, while remaining invisible and waiting for prey.
After the prey appears close, the spotted crocodile can move towards it without ripples in the water, because even while moving it is almost completely submerged. Having gotten close enough, the crocodile makes a final lightning-fast lunge, which provides it with the food it has obtained.
If a crocodile grabs an animal, but cannot easily drag it into the water, it begins to spin around it very quickly, this action first of all contributes to the loss of balance, and then completely knocks the prey off its feet. After this, the reptile can calmly pull the animal into the water, where it has no chance against strength and power. This technique has the famous term "death roll", which is used more for sensationalism than anything else. This method is the simplest and most effective for crocodiles in the process of getting their lunch.
Jaws and bite force of crocodiles
The crocodile's jaws are extremely powerful. Bites of phenomenal strength. Although their skull is small, it allows large muscles to contract within its space. This space in the skull makes it possible to swallow large bitten pieces of prey.
Recent research shows that the bite force of large crocodiles can exceed 3,000 pounds per square inch. This is comparable to falling from the height of a small cart onto your foot. The bite of crocodiles is the strongest bite of any living animal, and perhaps even stronger than that of most dinosaurs. In fact, some scientists believe that large crocodiles have a similar bite force, comparable only in strength to a T-Rex.
Crocodiles swallow stones - this is important
Once the food is eaten, the crocodile begins to gradually digest it. The stomach of crocodiles is the most acidic environment of all animals. They can digest bones and hair, although the latter is sometimes regurgitated as small hairballs.
Among other things, stones are also an important part necessary for the normal nutrition of crocodiles. This is because stomach stones help break down food and also speed up digestion. Plus, rocks are needed as ballast to help crocodiles maintain stability while in the water.
Crocodiles have inhabited our planet for 250 million years. They survived dinosaurs and others because they were able to adapt to changes in living conditions. The evolution of these reptiles led to them becoming large amphibious predators. The crocodile frightens and at the same time attracts attention. We will tell you where the predator lives and what it eats in this article.
Why have crocodiles been around for so long?
All these many millions of years, crocodiles lived in the tropics and subtropics, settling in bodies of fresh water. Because their habitat remained virtually unchanged for a long time, crocodiles have remained virtually unchanged since ancient times. After the huge dinosaurs and others became extinct, crocodiles had no dangerous enemies left, and they became masters of their habitats. New predators from among warm-blooded animals, such as lions, tigers, leopards, and so on, had a different habitat and could not exterminate crocodiles. Well, they, in turn, being strongly tied to bodies of water, were not able to expand their possessions.
The most terrible and deadly enemy for crocodiles was man. Reptiles were killed for two main reasons. The first is fear of a predator clad in a strong shell with a huge toothy mouth. The second reason is mercantile. has become a very valuable material for making shoes, handbags and other leather products. Some peoples who eat reptile meat and eggs for food have contributed to the reduction in the crocodiles population. Where do crocodiles live and what do they eat? This is the question that all children ask when they see this reptile for the first time.
Who are called crocodiles?
Currently, all crocodiles are classified into three families:
- Real crocodiles.
- Alligators.
- Gharials.
Zoologists consider Caymans to be one of the species of the alligator family. In total, 23 species of crocodiles are known and described. Each of them has its own habitat and food system. Scientists have long been interested in the crocodile - where it lives, how it reproduces and whether it poses a danger to humans. All these questions were asked regularly, and in order to get answers, it was necessary to observe the animal for a long time.
Such different reptiles
Representatives of different families differ from each other primarily in the shape of the muzzle and teeth. In real crocodiles, the muzzle is narrow and elongated; the fourth tooth of the lower jaw is visible when the mouth is closed. Alligators and caimans have a wide and oval head; when the mouth is closed, the teeth are not visible, since they are covered by the upper jaw. Gharials are distinguished by a very thin and elongated muzzle. There are other small differences, such as the length of the teeth, the shape and location of the skin scutes, and so on.
The body of caimans and gharials is far from perfect, like that of all amphibians and fish. It is unable to maintain the body's thermal regime. All these reptiles can only live in hot climates and warm water. They maintain body heat balance by immersing themselves in water or going ashore to bask in the sun. The salt metabolism of these reptiles is very poorly developed, so they live in fresh waters. Only true crocodiles have salt-exchanging glands. The process of removing salts through is called “crocodile tears”.
Reproduction and nutrition
Crocodiles spend most of their time in the water, but they lay eggs in a nest on the shore. They breathe atmospheric air through their nostrils. The powerful jaws of crocodiles are filled with large and sharp teeth, but the crocodile cannot chew food. He is capable of dragging a very large animal underwater, drowning it, and then tearing large pieces from the carcass and swallowing them whole. Reptiles are very voracious, but can go without food for a long time, since their vital processes are slowed down. Yet crocodiles are patient hunters and ruthless killers. They are able to patiently wait for prey for a long time, sneak up on it unnoticed and silently, and then with a swift throw grab it and hold it with their jaws until it dies. Crocodiles do not disdain carrion, for this they are sometimes called water cleaners.
Where can you find crocodiles?
The characteristics of behavior, nutrition and development of reptiles are determined by where the crocodile lives and in what zone it lives.
The saltwater crocodile is the only species that can live in the salt water of seas and oceans. It is distributed over a vast territory - from the southern coast of Asia to the coast of Australia. It can be found off the coast of India, on the islands of the Pacific and Indian oceans, in the north of Australia. This largest crocodile reaches a length of 6 meters or more and weighs about 1 ton. It feeds on animals, fish, that is, any representatives of the animal world that attract its attention. There are known cases of attacks on white sharks, large animals, including horses, tigers, and so on. Cases of saltwater crocodile attacks on people have been recorded. Now you know how this crocodile differs from the rest, where it lives and what it eats.
The Mississippi alligator lives in the southeastern United States. These reptiles are especially abundant in the swamps of Florida. Lives only in fresh water. It feeds on all living creatures that live nearby. Snakes, turtles, fish, birds and small mammals are included in its diet. A hungry alligator can come close to people's homes and attack small dogs and small pets. capable of digging small ponds. On the banks of these ponds, females make nests and lay eggs in them. In cool weather, alligators lose activity and are half asleep. Males are larger than females and reach lengths of up to 4-4.5 meters. People walk carefully in areas where crocodiles live.
In which country are these animals considered sacred? Previously, Egyptian residents treated these animals with trepidation. Today the situation has changed - they are trying to avoid predators.
Crocodile fisherman
Gharial lives only in the rivers of the Hindustan Peninsula. The only species that has survived to this day is called the Ghanaian gharial. There are no others anymore. Gharials have an elongated muzzle, very long jaws with many teeth. This allows them to hunt fish effectively. The length of the gharial reaches 4.5 meters, there are almost 100 teeth in its mouth. But despite its large size, it does not attack large animals and people, since, thanks to the structure of its jaws, it is more of a fisherman than a hunter. Of all the reptiles of the crocodile order, the gharial spends the most time in water, and sometimes even manages to acquire shells. In addition to fish, it can also feed on small animals and carrion.
Such a crocodile is not dangerous for humans. Where this animal lives, you can often find small villages; people are not afraid of such a neighborhood.
All representatives of the crocodile family, having existed on Earth for millions of years, have found their niche in the animal world. As predators, they perform their function as orderlies of water bodies and coastal areas. They clear their territory of sick and weak animals, as well as their decaying corpses. Crocodiles and alligators do not expand their domain by capturing new territories and living spaces. Their fights with other predators are random and occur mainly at watering holes. Victory or defeat in these battles does not mean a redistribution of territory. But the life and further existence of crocodiles now depend only on humans. They have no natural enemies in nature. People don't like to go to places where crocodiles live. The country of America is inhabited by these animals; many residents see these creatures as an object for profit. Their skin brings in good income. But those who are not connected with the crocodile for profit try not to disturb this predator.
If you are interested in crocodiles and just want to see them in the wild, then this article is for you. Here we will tell you about the places where you can see these amazing reptiles in the wild.
Crocodiles in Australia
If you are keen to see large crocodiles in the wild, then Australia is the country to go to. This continent is famous for the largest living crocodiles - saltwater crocodiles. This reptile reaches a length of more than 6 meters and weighs more than a ton.
If in many countries you can see crocodiles mainly in nature reserves and National Parks, then in Australia these reptiles have inhabited almost all the rivers of the northern coast of the country. Crocodiles are not only found in the wild, but are often caught in areas densely populated by people. For example, in Fanny Bay, on the shores of which the largest city in the Northern Territories of Australia, Darwin, is located.
In Australia there are National Parks and Nature Reserves, and simply crocodile parks, where saltwater crocodiles can be seen in the wild. In some areas, special shows with feeding these reptiles are organized for tourists.
For thrill-seekers, the special Crocosaurus Cove crocodile park in the center of Darwin offers the Cage of Death attraction. Those who want to tickle their nerves in a special glass cage (made of very durable glass) are immersed in a pool with huge crocodiles. Daredevils can watch these huge cannibals at arm's length.
For lovers of Africa, the National Parks of the Republic of South Africa cordially open their doors. Those who want to watch crocodiles in the wild are recommended to go to the Kruger National Park and Mapungubwe National Park.
In South Africa you can observe Nile crocodiles. They are slightly smaller than their Australian brothers, but no less bloodthirsty. Large individuals can reach lengths of more than 5 meters and weigh up to a ton.
Here, of course, you will not be offered the same conditions as in Australia, but you can observe reptiles while sailing along the river in a comfortable pleasure boat.
Crocodiles in Uganda
If South Africa is a Europeanized Africa, then in Uganda you can see a piece of untouched Africa.
Crocodiles can be seen here in National Parks and Nature Reserves. To do this, you can visit Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi National Park and Lake Mburo National Park.
Crocodiles in Uganda can be observed during river and lake tours. There are a great variety of reptiles here, so there will be no shortage of thrills.
Crocodiles in Thailand
If you want to not only look at crocodiles, but also taste them, then your path goes straight to Thailand. It is in this Asian country that there are a huge number of crocodile farms where crocodiles are raised for their valuable skin and meat.
Don’t think about it, there are still crocodiles in the wild in Thailand, and there are even tours in some reserves where tourists can see these reptiles in the wild.
But if you really want to see the show and taste a crocodile, then you should definitely visit one of the crocodile farms. Experienced Thai trainers will show you an unforgettable show, and virtuoso chefs will prepare dishes with amazing taste.
Alligators in the USA
Alligators differ from real crocodiles in their calmer disposition, although they are often not inferior in size to their aggressive relatives. In the United States, common crocodiles are found, but alligators dominate. If you want to see alligators, you should visit the states of Florida and Louisiana.
For those who like “very thrills”, it is recommended to visit the Swamp of Ghosts in Louisiana. This place is located near New Orleans. The place itself evokes terrible fear. According to legend, it was cursed by the black voodoo queen at the beginning of the 20th century. Since then, many of the settlements along the swamp have died out, and now only the ruins of houses stand. And huge alligators came to the places where people once lived.
During an airboat tour of the park, you can see hundreds of alligators. And then a bright show awaits you, during which an experienced presenter will tell and show what you should do if you had to encounter an alligator or crocodile in the wild.
How much does it cost?
If you are going to see crocodiles in the wild, you should understand that this pleasure is not cheap.
The most affordable option is Thailand. With a departure from Kyiv or Moscow, such a tour can cost $1000-1200 per person.
After it comes the USA. Such a trip can cost $1200-1500 per person. Although the cost of the flight is approximately the same, and maybe even less, than to Thailand, the cost of living in the country will be more expensive.
Next on the list are Uganda and South Africa. The cost of such a trip will be $2000-2500 per person.
And Australia will cost the most. Due to the remoteness of this country from Kyiv or Moscow, air tickets will be quite expensive. The cost of such a trip will be $2500-3500 per person.
When is the best time to go see crocodiles?
You can go to Thailand at almost any time of the year. The climate there is stable, and tourists are welcome all year round.
The same situation is in the USA. Although due to Atlantic hurricanes, it is not recommended to visit Florida and Louisiana in August-September.
It is better to go to Uganda in the middle of winter or summer. The country is located on the equator and has a fairly stable temperature climate. And spring and autumn are the rainy seasons.
You can go to South Africa at any time of the year.
But it’s better to go to Australia in May-September. The rest of the time there is intense heat, and there is a high probability of forest fires, or rainy seasons, when large areas are flooded and movement around the area is difficult.
Crocodile is a special type of reptile whose lifestyle is semi-aquatic. In appearance, the crocodile resembles smooth stones, so people should be careful near bodies of water and vegetation, as the animal can quickly attack.
Thanks to their coloring, crocodiles are able to camouflage themselves perfectly in nature.
Crocodiles belong to the class of archosaurs; an adult can reach 3 meters in length, and some giants can reach 7 meters. Crocodiles weigh from 250-500 kg, with one head weighing 200 kg; as a rule, males are much larger than females.
Description of a cold-blooded animal
The entire body of the animal is covered with 9 cervical vertebrae, while the tail has 36 vertebrae, which help it turn, accelerate, and also maintain optimal body temperature.
The crocodile is a cold-blooded reptile, so its element is water. Due to the fact that its eyes and nose are located close to the top of its head, it can lie underwater for a long time waiting for its prey, while being able to see perfectly from the water what is happening on land.
The most terrible thing about a crocodile is its huge mouth, with 80 sharp fangs.
The entire body of the reptile is covered with skin, which is formed by keratinized shields. The crocodile has strong ribs inside its body. The color of a crocodile can range from green to dark brown, depending on the species and habitat.
The crocodile has a four-chambered heart, and the blood contains a special antibiotic that prevents the crocodile’s body from becoming infected, because it is constantly in dirty water.
The stomach of a crocodile is not ordinary; it differs in that it contains special gastrolith stones inside, which help to process any solid food, as well as keep the long body in balance in the water.
A crocodile grows throughout its life, as the cartilage tissue constantly changes in size. Their average lifespan is about 85 years.
The crocodile animal is considered a fearless animal; it has no enemies. The only enemy can be considered a person who, using special traps, catches middle-aged individuals.
Also, crocodile eggs can be eaten by turtles, monitor lizards, and herons.
Can crocodiles cry?
People say “cry crocodile tears” and for good reason. Crocodiles can really cry, but not from pain and resentment.
The peculiarity of the appearance of tears is that the animal has a special lacrimal gland; it removes salts from the body that have accumulated in excess in the crocodile.
So, crocodile tears are a natural process that occurs due to a large amount of harmful salts.
Where do crocodiles live?
Crocodiles can be found anywhere in the world, where they are not bred independently, where there is no habitat favorable for them, they are bred artificially and all the conditions for existence are created.
The most favorable climate for a crocodile is Guatemala, countries of Asia, Africa, the Philippine Islands, Australia, America, etc.
Animals love fresh water bodies; they are willing to spend all their time in such places.
The reptile can also perfectly adapt to a salty body of water, since they have a good water-salt metabolism, so it can also be found in the seas.
How do crocodiles live?
All crocodiles live in water and lay eggs in the sand on land; this lifestyle is called semi-aquatic. The animal loves to be under the sun in the early morning or afternoon.
The body temperature of a crocodile always varies depending on the environment. When it is very hot outside, the reptile opens its mouth to evaporate the water, at this time the birds can feast on the remains of food in their sharp teeth, after which they can be eaten by a crocodile.
Crocodiles are most often found directly near the water, but in search of prey they can pave a path of 4 kilometers, while moving at a speed of 15 km/h.
The crocodile's lifestyle allows it to move away from its main place and then return again.
What do crocodiles eat?
The diet of a crocodile depends primarily on its own body size. Thus, large individuals can swallow a large horned animal, while a smaller species is not able to consume such food.
The main diet of a crocodile is fish, birds, bats, snakes, and monitor lizards. A crocodile can even eat poisonous snakes.
Crocodiles living in the sea feed on dolphins, fish, shellfish; large species even eat sharks.
The reptile often hunts kangaroos, cheetahs, lions, monkeys, hares and other savannah animals. Crocodiles living near the village can eat domestic animals and even people.
Species of crocodiles
Nile crocodile
It is considered the largest representative of this genus. It lives in rivers, fresh water bodies, and lakes.
The main food of such animals is giraffes, hippopotamuses, and rhinoceroses.
Blunt crocodile
It is considered the smallest crocodile; an adult does not exceed one and a half meters in length.
The animal lives in the fresh waters of Africa, they are afraid of people, and hunt mainly at night. They feed on all types of fish and carrion.
Saltwater crocodile
This is the largest crocodile on the entire planet. Such a crocodile is considered the most dangerous predator; people nicknamed it the man-eating crocodile.
It reaches 7 meters in length and weighs about 2 tons. This reptile lives in the sea, in Indonesia, in the Philippines.
It feeds on large animals, buffaloes, cows, goats, and domestic animals.
Photo of a crocodile
Crocodiles are a unique group of reptiles with a specific way of life. There are 22 species of crocodiles in the world, which form a separate order. In terms of body structure, crocodiles are very different from other reptiles and in their origin are closest to dinosaurs. For this, in the class of Reptiles they are even separated into a separate subclass, Archosaurs (that is, Ancient Lizards).
Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).
Crocodiles are usually divided into real crocodiles and alligators (which also include caimans), but outwardly they differ only in that alligators have a snout with a wide, blunt end, while crocodiles have a narrowed snout.
The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) feeds only on fish, which is why its snout is greatly narrowed.
The size of different species varies from 1.5 m in length for the blunt-nosed crocodile to 10 m in length for the Nile crocodile. All crocodiles have an elongated, slightly flattened body, a short neck and a large head with a greatly elongated muzzle. The legs of crocodiles are short and located, like all reptiles, on the sides of the body, and not under the body, as in birds and mammals. This arrangement of limbs leaves an imprint on the way crocodiles move.
The crocodile's paws have webbed membranes.
All crocodiles have a long and thick tail. The tail is flattened laterally and serves as a rudder, engine and temperature regulator. It is characteristic that the eyes and nostrils are located on the top of the skull in crocodiles. This allows animals to breathe and see while their body is completely submerged in water. In addition, crocodiles are able to hold their breath and can stay under water for up to 2 hours without surfacing.
Crocodile underwater.
Crocodiles have a small brain, but they are the most intelligent of all reptiles. They also have another progressive feature. Crocodiles are cold-blooded animals. But it turned out that crocodiles, by straining their body muscles, can arbitrarily warm up their blood so that their temperature is 5-7 degrees higher than the ambient temperature.
The body of crocodiles is covered with thick skin. Instead of the small scales that cover the body of other reptiles, crocodiles have large scutes. Their shape and size differ in different parts of the body and form a unique pattern. In many species of crocodiles, the scutes are additionally strengthened by subcutaneous bone plates, which on the head are fused with the bones of the skull. These plates create a kind of armor, making the crocodile's body invulnerable to attack from the outside. All crocodiles have a protective coloration: black, gray, dirty brown. It is extremely rare to come across white albino crocodiles. In nature, such animals usually do not survive.
The alligator is an albino.
Crocodiles are heat-loving animals and live only in the tropics and subtropics. They inhabit almost all parts of the world, except Antarctica and Europe. All crocodiles are aquatic animals, closely associated with bodies of water. The vast majority prefer to settle in small lakes and rivers with quiet currents.
The Mississippi alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) lives in impenetrable swamps.
But saltwater crocodiles inhabit sea lagoons and river deltas. These crocodiles, native to Australia and Oceania, often swim across wide sea bays and straits between islands.
Crocodiles are slow, but cunning. They spend most of their time motionless, lying in shallow water or passively drifting with the current. Often crocodiles become so frozen that birds and turtles mistake them for trees and climb onto their backs.
The crocodile mistook the body of his relative for a log and climbed onto it to dry off.
But this calmness is deceptive: as soon as the potential victim reaches the limits of its reach, the crocodile makes a sharp lunge. The powerful tail plays a significant role in this, with the movements of which the crocodile throws its body forward. The splash of water attracts other crocodiles and they instantly swim to the victim from all over the area.
A crocodile catches a heron who carelessly tried to sit on him.
Constant exposure to cool water reduces body temperature, and therefore overall metabolism. In order not to “freeze,” animals are forced to crawl onto land and bask on the shore for several hours. On land, crocodiles are also practically motionless.
Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) basking in the sun.
They move along the ground by crawling, clumsily spreading their paws and wagging their bodies from side to side. However, sometimes crocodiles can switch to a completely “combat” step, keeping their legs under their body. In case of extreme danger, a crocodile can even gallop at a speed of 12 km/h!
A crocodile crosses the road.
Crocodiles feed on any animal food that can be found in the water or on the shore. They mainly eat fish, as well as small animals and birds swimming in the pond. Young crocodiles, unable to attack such game due to their size, are content with hunting insects, mollusks, and frogs. But the largest species of crocodiles prefer not to waste time on trifles: they lie in wait for large animals that come to drink - buffalos, zebras, antelopes.
A crocodile caught a swimming wildebeest.
Crocodiles do not “discriminate ranks” and attack not only defenseless ungulates, but also lions, hippos and even elephants. The jaws of a crocodile have enormous strength. In addition, it has a special structure of teeth: in a crocodile they are located asymmetrically, so that the large teeth of the upper jaw correspond to the small teeth of the lower jaw. Thus, the teeth close together like a castle, making it almost impossible to escape from his mouth.
A saltwater crocodile rests with its mouth open.
But this jaw structure results in one problem for crocodiles - they can grab the victim, but cannot chew. Therefore, crocodiles either swallow it whole or tear off large pieces in a special way: they clamp part of the carcass in their teeth and begin to spin around their axis in the water, thereby “unscrewing” the piece of meat.
Crocodiles are solitary animals, but they calmly tolerate the proximity of their own kind. In waters rich in food, crocodiles constantly monitor the behavior of their fellows and, at the slightest sign of a meal, rush to join it. According to some observations, Nile crocodiles are able to coordinate their actions while hunting, surrounding and driving the prey into a ring.
Crocodiles eat a zebra together.
But friendly feelings are alien to crocodiles, they do not protect their brothers, and with a significant difference in size, a large crocodile is quite capable of eating a smaller one. It’s not for nothing that a hypocritical person is said to “shed crocodile tears.”
During the mating season, males show possessive instincts, protecting the territory from the invasion of competitors. Having met, the males start fierce fights. After mating, the female makes a nest on the shore from mud and grass and lays 20-100 eggs in it. She is constantly near the nest, often without food, and protects it from any attacks. The incubation period depends on the ambient temperature and lasts 2-3 months.
Crocodile's nest.
At the moment of hatching, the crocodiles emit a peculiar squeak and the mother immediately rushes to their aid. The female often takes the eggs in her teeth and gently rolls them around in her mouth, helping the newborns get rid of the shell. Newborn crocodiles are completely independent and immediately rush to the water; sometimes their mother helps them get to the reservoir: the crocodile takes the babies in her mouth and carries them to the water itself. In the first days, the female reacts sensitively to their voice, protecting them from all enemies. After a couple of days, the babies disperse throughout the pond and lose contact with their parent. The life of small crocodiles is very dangerous: in addition to numerous predators, crocodiles themselves can encroach on them. An adult crocodile will not fail to dine on its own offspring, so young crocodiles spend their first years constantly hiding in the thickets. But even so, the mortality rate reaches 80%. The only thing that saves crocodiles is that they grow very quickly at first. In the first 2 years of life, their size increases 3 times, then growth slows down. Crocodiles are animals that do not have a growth endpoint; they grow throughout their lives! And these reptiles live a long time - on average 60-100 years.
Despite their dangerous disposition, crocodiles themselves are very vulnerable and have a lot of enemies. Many large animals can match their strength to crocodiles. For example, lions lie in wait for small crocodiles on land, where they are clumsy, and hippos even in water are quite capable of biting a crocodile in half. Elephants that are attacked by crocodiles as infants can trample the predator to death as adults. In South America, crocodiles are hunted by jaguars and anacondas. But the biggest danger for crocodiles is... small animals! Herons and storks catch small crocodiles en masse, and on the ground they are joined by a whole army of crocodile egg lovers. Crocodiles' nests are destroyed by turtles, monitor lizards, baboons, hyenas, and mongooses.
People have been afraid of crocodiles since ancient times, because crocodiles attacks on people are not uncommon. However, fear subsided when the unsurpassed qualities of crocodile skin were discovered. For the sake of this valuable material, crocodiles began to be hunted on an industrial scale and the fate of many species was endangered. The problem was partially alleviated by breeding crocodiles in captivity on special farms. Due to their low intelligence and pronounced predation, crocodiles cannot be tamed; it is impossible to control the behavior of these animals. However, owners of crocodiles often organize special shows to demonstrate the “abilities” of their pets. Such false training is based on subtle manipulation of animal physiology, because a well-fed and even simply “hypercooled” crocodile is very passive. Despite this, accidents are not uncommon at such shows.
Currently, the condition of many species is alarming due to the destruction of the natural habitats of crocodiles.
The Mississippi alligator is endangered.