Breeding
Crocodile mating is a once-yearly affair.
Adult crocodiles are territorial, particularly during breeding season.
Female crocodiles lay their eggs in a hole in the ground to hide and protect
them.
Once the eggs hatch, the mother will sometimes carry the vulnerable hatchlings
to the water in her mouth to protect them.
The female will usually protect her nest from egg predators.
Hatchlings
will hide underwater and among vegetation, and the mother will stay close
to them for some weeks. After a few months, hatchlings are largely left to
fend for themselves.
Eating
Habits
A crocodile starts out eating insects and small live prey, and then will eat
more fish as it grows. Once it is large enough, it will prey on small mammals
and even large mammals
Crocodiles prey on a variety of animals, including fish, insects, frogs, snails,
crabs, shrimps, birds, snakes, turtles and small mammals.
The Nile crocodile, the largest reptile in Africa, can drag a full-grown zebra
into the water.
Nile crocodiles are frequently cannibalistic. At all ages they will catch
and eat smaller crocodiles.
Crocodiles co-exist with hippos in many areas. A group of crocodiles, however,
will eat a hippo that dies in the water.
The largest mammal a Nile crocodile might attack a Cape buffalo, which is
about the size of a large cow.
Threats
The predators most likely to snatch and eat crocodile eggs and hatchlings
are monitor lizards, mongoose and baboons.
Croc
Facts
Some crocodiles in captivity are estimated to be more than 70 years old, but
they generally don't live that long in the wild.
Most of the world's crocodiles are freshwater animals.
Whenever a crocodile loses a tooth, a new one will grow in to replace it.
It is easy to hold a crocodile's mouth shut the muscles that open them are
much weaker than those used for snapping them shut.
Adult crocodiles weigh about 4,000 times as much as they did when they hatched.
Crocodiles have been known to get fish with very hard spines caught in their
throats and choke to death.
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Copyright©2001 Crocfiles.co.uk
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