Crocodile: Characteristics, Behavior And Habitat
With a penetrating and dark gaze, the crocodile awakens the fear of many and the admiration and respect of others. It is an imposing reptile that is well worth knowing. Do you want to come with us? Don’t worry, we won’t get too close …
Everything you need to know about the crocodile
Its scientific name is crocodilydae, and it is part of the archosaur reptile family, or rather, dominant reptiles, due to its aggressiveness and strength. Crocodiles are estimated to have been on Earth for 200 million years.
features
It can weigh up to 800 kilos. Its thick and rough skin has been longed for by humans to be used in the leather goods business. It is not surprising that the crocodile does not get along with man … This act has put the reptile in danger of extinction, and that is why this act is increasingly punishable by law. In fact, new laws are constantly being created to stop this action.
They can be up to 6 meters long, can you imagine seeing one of these features?
Their nostrils are meticulously created to suit their aquatic life. These prevent water from entering and reaching the lungs while they are under the fluid. Thanks to them, which allow it to breathe, the crocodile could be underwater for six hours in motion and up to two days at rest.
It is able to regulate its body temperature with its jaws. Opening them allows you to cool or heat it, which is why we’ve watched many videos of crocodiles with their mouths wide open without attacking anyone. It was in the process of temperature regulation.
Behavior
The crocodile moves almost crawling on the ground with its four legs, two front and two back. The front ones have five fingers and the rear ones only four. This serves, together with its long tail, to maintain balance, something that would not be so easy due to its weight and measurements.
It usually spends much of its immobile life in freshwater rivers, or in mangroves on the saltwater beach. They are adaptable and move from one habitat to another as they please or according to their needs.
Habitat
The crocodile lives in tropical areas of Africa, North America, Central America, Australia and some areas of Asia. As we said earlier, most of its life is spent in water, be it sweet or salty.
Diet
As we all well know, it is a carnivore, and its diet is based on fish, crabs, dead animals, birds and even, on occasions, it dares buffalo, zebra or wildebeest. How do you hunt?
It is known to all that reptiles are stealthy, and this specimen is no less so. Under the water it gradually approaches its prey while it drinks water from the river. When she is most confused, she pounces on her and drags her into the river, where a fight begins that the reptile rarely loses.
Despite its pointy and huge teeth, this animal cannot chew, so when it grabs a prey it tears it into large pieces and swallows it whole. That’s when your powerful gastric juices come into play that finish the job of digestion.
In addition, it has the ability to modify its metabolism itself, based on the abundance or scarcity of food in its habitat. When there is deficiency, their digestion slows down, while the opposite happens in times of abundance.
Are crocodiles dangerous?
Only 6 of the 23 existing species are considered dangerous. However, the numbers command respect: almost a thousand people die each year as a result of an attack by this animal. In this section, the Nile crocodile and the marine crocodile stand out for their dangerousness.
In America, meanwhile, the subspecies aligator (present in Florida, United States) and the alligator of South America are usually the ones that register the most attacks on humans.
The intrusion of man into their habitat and even poaching for commercial purposes means that many people are almost permanently exposed to these risks. Needless to add, its domestication is impossible; they are wild animals.
Despite its majesty, the crocodile is an animal that seems scary to many, but, without a doubt, it is a fascinating specimen that has been worth knowing, don’t you think?
