6 strategies for hunting crocodiles: This is not a passive log! (12 photos)

TV shows about crocodiles are blatantly lying! They show us reptiles as lazy lizards that can only pretend to be logs. But in reality, they are adaptive predators that have at least 6 hunting strategies in their arsenal. Predators do not wait for miracles in ambush, they do the weird stuff themselves!





Strategy number one is laser vision (joke)

Almost all documentaries film only one hunting strategy for crocodiles - log imitation. Filmmakers love it because it's a well-researched tactic, easy to film, spectacular, and easily gains views thanks to its fame. Suddenly, a huge reptile jumps out of the water, grabs an innocent, uncomprehending victim with its powerful jaws and drags it into the depths. Splashes, noise, blood!



A log is floating down the river. It barely moves

Only the newly hatched young can't afford to ambush the seal. Simply because of its size. 30-50 cm crocodiles would rather become someone's dinner than catch prey with their teeth. The only trump card up the sleeve of the babies is their mobility. Trading it for passive lying down is simply dangerous. Therefore, in the first years of life, the reptiles resort to an active hunting strategy.





Despite the fact that female Nile crocodiles take care of their offspring for 2 years, they protect the babies only from large predators.

Very young crocodiles attack all sorts of insects, sometimes even jumping up and grabbing them on the fly. In the first year, the flying and crawling brethren make up more than half of the crocodile's diet. Small fry hunt both in the water and on land. Mini-predators constantly roam the vicinity of their native reservoir and look for something tastier. This is a dangerous undertaking, because most crocodiles die in the first years of life. But if you want to grow big, you have to take risks.



– Stasyan, did you find any beetles? – No, nothing but grass around...

As the reptiles grow, they switch to larger animals, like crabs and amphibians of all sorts and colors. The prey is not difficult, but it is very sedentary. If you wait for it in ambush, you yourself will die of hunger. Therefore, even here, predators have to actively comb the perimeter of the reservoir in search of game. They also feed on rodents during their food patrol.



Crab is not only dietary meat, but also a lot of vitamins and microelements!

The most interesting part of a crocodile's life begins around the second year of life. The surviving animals grow to about 1.5 meters in length and can leave their native reservoirs. But along with new opportunities, new difficulties arise. A teenage body cannot be fed with frogs and beetles alone, and the animal still lacks mass for lazy hunting. Crocs have to use tricks.



A contented grown-up crocodile leaves his native reservoir. "I'll move to St. Petersburg, away from my parents," he thinks.

For example, driving fish into shallow waters, where their movement is strictly limited. Using its long body as a fence and its tail as a hybrid of a net and an oar, the predator cuts off the fish's path to freedom and quickly catches its cornered prey. Small fish are swallowed on the spot, and the reptile pulls larger prey onto the shore. The crocodile will smash the fish against the ground until it agrees to become lunch.



Fish, will you be lunch? Silence is a sign of consent!

If several crocodiles gather in a section of the river, they combine their intelligence and organize a collective hunt. Despite their reputation as cold-blooded and unsociable creatures, Nile crocodiles are loyal to their own kind and can hunt mammals and fish together. Moreover, they use different tactics.



Whoever has the smallest teeth is the prey!

When fishing, a group of reptiles disperses across the river, forming a living toothy checkpoint. Even a fish that notices danger will simply fall into the mouth of a neighboring predator. Sooner or later, the whole group will eat its fill.



He ate his fill of fish with friends and is now warming up on the beach. Something makes me feel envious...

In addition, such a school of young crocodiles can deal with even large prey. From the outside, a group attack looks like the animals do not coordinate their actions at all and simply attack from all sides. But in fact, they pursue one goal - they drag the prey into the depths. At the same time, the toothy ones do not try to bite off a piece from each other. They help their fellows: someone holds the carcass, others bite, and then vice versa. It is not for nothing that crocodiles are considered the most social reptiles on the planet!



However, this does not mean at all that adult crocodiles feed only on large-sized prey.

But as Nile crocodiles grow, their desire to hunt together gradually declines. Which is not surprising. Why would a 3-4 meter reptile with ten years of hunting experience share food with someone if it can kill anyone on its own? An adult animal can finally switch to the tactics of a predatory log and simply swim around the reservoir, enjoying the meat of inattentive ungulates. And the largest of them even attack giraffes, buffalo and young elephants. Thanks to a weight of 500-700 kilos, a gigantic force of compression of the jaws and the effect of surprise, they can catch anyone they want. Including other crocodiles.



Sometimes crocodiles hunt hippos. But, as a rule, the animals try to ignore each other.

And especially cunning individuals get their prey on the shore. Despite all the stereotypes, the animals are not so dependent on water and can hide in dense vegetation near the reservoir. A successful blow of a muscular tail can break the legs of the unfortunate victim. And then it will no longer be able to use its advantage in speed.



Boo! Scared? Don't be afraid! I'm too little to hurt you!