The alligator will then react viciously and mount a valiant struggle to escape.Ĭhris Murray, a doctoral student in the Department of Biological Sciences, is the reason the scientists are exploring the grounds of the refuge as his research pertains to crocodilians and is directed by renowned herpetologist and biological sciences professor Craig Guyer. If they are successful in getting near an alligator in the water without disturbing it, they quickly slip a noose around its neck. They locate the reptiles by eye shine and stealthily float toward them. Conservation is vital, as it would be a tragedy for the only living dinosaur to die out.Įmma Bastian is a marine biologist based in London and a regular contributor to Science Illustrated.The adventure typically begins shortly before sundown as three researchers from COSAM’s Department of Biological Sciences step aboard a 16-foot Jon boat, permits in hand, to search for and capture alligators in the Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge. Crocodiles are prized for their skin, which makes luxury leather goods, their environments are being destroyed and they are often hunted because they are seen as a threat. They are now working on synthesising the particular protein, named crocodillin from the blood so that they can develop a drug for human use.Ĭrocodiles have been around for millions of years and now the only real threat to their survival is humans. Crocodiles and other crocodilians have an excellent and aggressive immune system, which seems to far outstrip our own. In 2005 Dr Adam Britton and Dr Mark Merchant collected and tested crocodile blood against a number of infections, such as Staphylococcus aureus (golden staph), West Nile virus and HIV-it defeated all of the infections. It was noticed that despite crocodiles coming away from a fight with scratches and bruises, and sometimes missing limbs, they healed quickly and without infection. Male crocodiles are fiercely territorial and prone to fighting other males for their territory. Baby crocodiles stay under their mother’s protection for up to two years.Ĭrocodiles also seem to have amazing healing powers. When the eggs hatch, the hatchlings call out to their mother who uncovers them from the nest and gently carries them to the water in her mouth. She can lay anywhere between 40 to 60 eggs and, like some other reptiles, the sex of the eggs is determined by temperature within the nest below 30 degrees Celsius generates females, and above 32 degrees produces males. Females lay eggs on land in a nest that they build and guard closely during the three-month incubation period. Males blow water through their nostrils as a mating display for females (which is apparently quite inviting). While crocodiles might seem rather brutal, they are very tender parents and show some of the highest level of care. Stones are often found in the stomach of crocodiles, and scientists believe these help grind down meat in the stomach. The crocodile then rips large chunks of flesh off the carcass, swallowing pieces whole. Once their intended prey is within reach they launch themselves suddenly from the water, clamp onto their prey using their jaws, which have the most powerful bite force of any living animal, and start turning over and over in the water in what is called a death roll. They’re opportunistic, meaning they’ll eat pretty much anything: fish, turtles, wildebeests and even baby hippopotamuses. They can stay like this for hours waiting for prey to come close enough to the water’s edge. Their eyes and nostrils are located on the top of their head which means they can conceal their 1,000-kilogram bulk beneath the water with the only sign of them being eyes and nostrils above the surface. Their skin is leathery and tough, but a lot of their weight is put into their powerful tail muscles, which they use to swim- reaching up to 40 km/h in the water-and to launch themselves out of the water and onto unsuspecting prey.Ĭrocodiles have perfected the ambush attack as their mode of predation. They say that the shark is the perfect predator but the crocodile is the perfect survivor – they are definitely built to last.Ĭrocodiles average 4.5 metres in length, although saltwater crocodiles can reach 6 metres (last year the world record was set for the longest crocodile measuring 6.7 metres) and weigh up to 1,000 kilograms. Crocodiles, belonging to the family Crocodylidae have been around since the time of the dinosaurs, they survived the dinosaurs actually – their ancestors date back to 200 million years, and have changed very little since. Have you wondered who would win in a fight between a crocodile and a shark? Don’t kid yourself: this thought has crossed your mind before, right? My money is on the croc. Crocodiles are older than many species of dinosaur
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