nile crocodile predator vs prey behavior

#Nile crocodile predator vs prey behavior skin#

These initiatives are thought to be responsible for the elimination of illegal trade of crocodiles. This practice has helped boost its numbers as it improves its survival rate.

A proportion of it goes back to the wild.

According to this system, hatchlings or eggs are taken from the mother crocodiles in the wild and reared in captivity. Now, most international trade of crocodile products is banned, with a provision for commercial utilization and controlled trade in the form of ranching. It has provided an incentive for conservationists to protect the species. Ironically, exploitation of crocodiles for skins and meat has been a valuable tool in its preservation. Therefore, it resulted in massive population declines due to hunting in the 1960s.

#Nile crocodile predator vs prey behavior skin#

Also, crocodile skin is very much in demand. Hence, the killing of adult crocodiles in retaliation to the destruction of nests is common. For example, crocodiles come into conflict with fishers when trying to remove fish from the nets. As a dangerous predator, people are often intolerant of crocodiles. Understandably, due to this, conflict with humans presents the greatest threat. The proximity of much of the habitat of the Nile crocodile to people and the virtually indiscriminate diet means an estimate of up to 200 people each year are eaten by a Nile crocs. The crocodile has earned itself a well-deserved reputation not only as a meat-eater but also as a vicious man-eater. Interestingly, however, being poikilothermic animals, food digestion of crocodiles is by the use of high temperatures. Their enzymatic digestive juices completely digest bones, hooves, and feather. Sub-adults eat once a week while juveniles eat daily. During summer an adult will consume once in two to three weeks. It allows them to survive long periods without food, but they can eat up to half their body mass. They have an ectothermic metabolism, which means slow metabolism. Intermission between mealsĪfter eating their meals, crocodiles swallow small stones that grind the food in the stomach. Thick-skinned prey is left to rot among submerged tree roots or under overhanging banks until one of them dismembers it. Although it prefers fresh food, it can even scavenge carrion. As crocodiles cannot swallow underwater, they keep their head above the surface. When taking the carcass on the water’s edge, the crocodile raises its body’s forequarters above the water surface and throws its entire body forward onto dry land. Groups of crocodiles use each other for leverage to perform these during a kill. The twirling method is called a death roll, which involves jerking the head vigorously, or twisting or spinning on its axis. Then using a twirling method, it tears off large flesh chunks and swallows them whole. A valve in the throat allows it to open the mouth to hold the victim underwater without water entering its throat. It then kills the animal by drowning or crushing it. Like other crocodilians, a Nile crocodile can bite but cannot chew or break off small pieces when hunting larger animals. The crocodile exerts tremendous pressure using its massive jaws while clamping and holding onto their prey. When an animal approaches the water hole, the crocodile will launch itself forward in a lightning attack.

The crocodile strategically uses this radar system and facial features along with its 68 teeth to its advantage when targeting a victim. The eyes, nostrils, and ears are on top of the head, which allows the crocodile to lie flat, almost entirely submerged in the water and hidden from its prey. In addition to excellent night vision and a good sense of smell, the Nile crocodile possesses sensory pits in the scales of its jaws that it uses to detect vibrations and movement in the water. It can leap up to catch nesting birds and attack any of those big mammals including other crocodiles. A fully grown up mature adult crocodile will pull any big animal such as hippo, porcupine, warthog, hyena, baboon, impala, wildebeest, antelope, buffalo, the young giraffe, elephant and zebra beneath the water.

But with old age, the food changes even further. As they grow into adults, they eat turtles, birds, and small mammals. The sub-adults feed on reptiles such as terrapins, snakes, pythons, water-birds, rodents, and crabs. The youth feed mostly on frogs, toads and small fish such as Tilapia and Labeo. the young ones, feed on insects, snails, spiders, gastropods and mussels as well as all kinds of crustaceans, and amphibians. The diet of the carnivorous predator changes as they age. The twirling method is called a death roll, which involves jerking the head vigorously, or twisting or spinning on its axisĬrocodiles are carnivores, and they eat only meat.