Crocodiles are some of the biggest reptiles you can find on the planet and are known for wreaking havoc across the globe.
These gigantic, dinosaur-like creatures rule their freshwater and saltwater territories with their mighty jaws.
Despite their massive size, crocodiles are known for being quick both on land and in the water.
The speed, size, and aggressive nature of crocodiles have given them a reputation for being one of the most dangerous animals on the planet.
How Fast Can Crocodiles Swim?
Crocodiles are able to swim at speeds of up to 15 to 18 miles per hour, which is about three times faster than the fastest human swimmer in the world.
Evolution has allowed these predators to perfect their hunting skills and has helped them to become terrors of the night and day.
Much of a crocodile’s underwater speed comes from its powerful tail, which is solid muscle.
The most monstrous trait of these creatures that are capable of growing nearly 20 feet in length is the fact that their entire bodies are nothing but muscle.
These predators are so powerful that they make their bodies leap from the water to capture prey and reach terrifying speeds across short distances.
However, all that power and size has a massive weakness.
While crocodiles excel in speed and strength, they completely lack stamina.
A crocodile may be able to reach top speeds of nearly 20 miles per hour, but they can only maintain that speed for a few feet before they begin to slow down once again.
Crocodiles have learned to mind their short stamina by using their closely placed eyes to more accurately guess the distances between them and their targets than most other animals.
Although their forward-facing eyes may limit the area that a crocodile can see in, their eyes can see clearly during the day or night.
In situations where there is poor visibility, crocodiles are also able to use their incredible sense of hearing to find their next meal.
Crocodiles quickly adjust to how much stamina they have, with smaller crocodiles being able to go greater distances.
These reptiles are tremendously dangerous in the water, but they are also no stranger to hunting for prey on land.
Crocodiles hunt with the element of surprise.
How Fast Can Crocodiles Run?
Crocodiles are able to run at top speeds of anywhere between 15 and 22 miles per hour on land, but humans still have many advantages against the massive reptiles when looking to escape their toothy grasp.
Some of the fastest species of crocodiles include Nile, American, and saltwater crocodiles.
When looking at a crocodile, you may not assume that they’re excellent runners on land because of their lumbering bodies, stumpy legs, and affinity for the water.
All of the sheer muscle on a crocodile has allowed them to become just as agile and aggressive on land as they’re known for being in the water.
Putting a crocodile and a human in a short foot race would result in the human losing due to the average running speed of a person being only 10 to 15 miles per hour.
However, pitting a crocodile against a human in a multi-lap race would result in a victory for mankind.
This is because crocodiles are normally able to only run for a few feet, averaging about twice the length of their body.
Crocodiles are ambush hunters, which means they like to stalk their prey before rushing out at top speeds with powerful jaws snapping.
These creatures really only have about three different gaits at which they move.
When a crocodile isn’t hunting or is looking to get away, they will keep their bellies on the ground and use their legs to scoot across the mud.
Crocodiles will begin to do a high walk when they need to clear branches and rocks.
This high walk consists of them actually lifting their bodies off of the ground, which takes a lot of energy for them to do.
The final gait that crocodiles have is their high-speed gallop, which is used for hunting and hiding.
What Should You Do If A Crocodile Is Chasing You?
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of potentially being a crocodile’s next victim, you will want to use a variety of tactics based on your particular situation.
There are plenty of people who have been able to survive crocodile attacks by being prepared with the right knowledge.
If you spot a crocodile near you, back away slowly and try to not make any attempts at sudden movements.
Although some people may recommend trying to splash water on a crocodile’s face to distract them, this will only draw more attention to yourself and make the crocodile more likely to attack.
If a crocodile were to begin chasing you, then you need to run as fast as you can for as long as you can in a straight line.
Despite many people recommending that you run in a zig-zag motion because crocodiles have a hard time turning, that’s a deadly myth.
Instead of wasting your time and stamina turning, you need to get as much distance between you and the crocodile as possible.
If you can tire out the attacking crocodile, you can then lower your speed from a full-blown dash to a speed walk.
However, not every victim of a crocodile attack is lucky enough to spot the crocodile before it attacks.
While in the toothy grasp of a crocodile, you will need to attack its eyes if you want any chance of making it out alive.
Even if a crocodile is deeply focused on attacking you, simply poking them in the eyes will be enough for them to lose their grip on you.
The eyes are the most vulnerable place on a crocodile’s body and the only part of the body a human can do damage to without needing a weapon.
What Is A Crocodile “Death Roll”?
The crocodile death roll is the most deadly tool in the crocodile’s arsenal and is often what leads most victims to their demise.
During a death roll, the crocodile will clamp onto its prey and begin spinning while attempting to subdue and dismember its prey.
Once a crocodile’s prey is at least partially dismembered, this lowers the risk of the crocodile losing its weakened prey.
Even if their prey escapes in the moment, there’s a high risk of bleeding out or creating a scented trail for the predator to follow.
Every crocodile is capable of the death roll, with researchers having even spotted juveniles pulling off the maneuver with ease.
The sheer force created by the burly crocodile’s death roll increases disproportionately with the alligator’s size, meaning that even a smaller crocodile can dismember large prey with ease.
Every crocodilian species is known to do this maneuver and they know the exact situations to use it in.
Although crocodiles’ jaws are known for killing bite-sized prey by crushing them, crocodiles understand that not every creature can be crushed.
Scientists believe that even the ancient relative of the crocodile, the deinosuchus, was capable of doing the death roll.
These prehistoric predators have left behind skeletons that reach up to 40 feet in length.
When researchers began studying 25 different crocodilian species, there was only one species that didn’t perform the death roll during their trials.
The Cuvier’s dwarf caiman was the only species not to death roll during the study, but researchers still aren’t certain if the species actually doesn’t death roll ever.
Researchers believe that crocodilian species with more slender snouts tend to deal less damage by doing the spinning maneuver, which leads them to do it less often.
However, crocodiles are known for being tedious and breaking behavior boundaries.
How To Keep Pets Safe From Crocodiles
As pet owners, it is important to consider the dangers that could be surrounding you.
This is especially true when you decide to take your pets out swimming or near bodies of water.
The best way to prevent your pets from becoming a crocodile’s meal is by knowing when and where to expect them.
Crocodiles are most active during the springtime because that is their mating season, and they can most commonly be seen roaming during dawn and dusk.
Before settling on a place to rest or enjoy the outdoors, take a quick look for paw prints or trails left behind from crocodiles sliding on their bellies.
You will also want to scope out the water and shoreline thoroughly, looking for any potential eyes in the water or nests on land.
You should never go swimming outside of designated zones in places where crocodiles are known to live.
These locations take preventive measures to ensure that crocodiles are deterred from the area and refer them to the rest of the body of water.
If you find a location that is unmarked for swimming, assume that the water is unsafe.
It is better to play it safe than to lose your pet to the jaws of a crocodile.
You should avoid waters that are murky, muddy, or crowded with vegetation.
Crocodiles like to use these types of waters to hide and ambush their prey.
More than 90% of all crocodile attacks occur near or in the water, meaning you and your pet are much safer on clear patches of land with plenty of visibility.
A crocodile that feels threatened and doesn’t want to attack unless it feels it is necessary will give off a warning hiss.
Try your best to locate which direction this hiss is coming from and run in the opposite direction.
How Aggressive Are Crocodiles?
Crocodiles are one of the most aggressive animals on the planet and have everything they need to be killing machines.
In addition to being aggressive, crocodiles are also very territorial and have no problem eliminating any unwelcome guests.
According to a study done by Charles Darwin University, crocodiles are just as aggressive as infants as they are in adulthood.
Researchers watched 90 different saltwater crocodiles during the first week of their lives and found that their nasty behavior isn’t taught, but rather, their untouched nature.
This constant level of high aggression means that crocodiles are ready to rip and tear into prey as soon as they hatch.
Even among their fellow hatchlings, crocodiles are ready to take down any creature that rubs them the wrong way.
Crocodiles also understand what a massive advantage they have when they are able to attack their prey in water.
The study done by Charles Darwin University found that most aggressive behaviors were observed while the young hatchlings were out in open water, with nearly none happening on land among their litter.
Between the territorial nature of crocodiles and humans expanding further onto their territory, crocodiles are more likely to attack when they feel that their home is being taken away from them.
Their watery hunting grounds keep them fed and alive, so to have another species step in on their homeland is enough to lead a crocodile to attack.
Across the globe, crocodiles annually kill 1,000 humans and are much more likely to attack a person than a shark.
Although crocodiles don’t have a particular taste for human beings, they are opportunistic killers and will go after whatever seems feasible.
The best way to avoid getting attacked by a crocodile is to stay out of their territory.
Are Crocodiles More Dangerous Than Alligators?
Yes, crocodiles are known for being more dangerous than alligators.
While crocodiles may be killing more than 1,000 people around the world, alligators have only killed 22 people in the United States since 1948.
Crocodiles are also much more likely to attack a person than an alligator due to their violent and aggressive nature.
Although alligators attack more frequently on land, crocodiles are willing to attack on land or in the water.
Crocodiles are also much larger than alligators.
While alligators are capable of growing up to nearly 15 feet in length, crocodiles have been seen as large as 22 feet long and tend to have larger species.
Another advantage that crocodiles have over alligators is their powerful muscles.
Some of the most powerful muscles on a crocodile are located near the jaw and help give the crocodile a bite that could rival a dinosaur’s.
Crocodiles have a bite force of 3,700 pounds per square inch, but an alligator only has a bite force of 2,980 pounds per square inch.
That gives both of these reptiles a bite force that is vastly more powerful than a lion, which only has a bite force of nearly 1,000 pounds per square inch.
Unlike crocodiles, alligators are much less likely to go after larger prey.
Crocodiles have no problem taking on larger prey thanks to their death roll technique and the strong advantage they have when they drag their prey to the water.
If you were to put these two creatures against one another in a fight, the crocodile would come out the victor.
Not only are they more powerful, have shorter tempers, bigger attitudes, and large bodies, but they are also found all over the world.
Alligators can only be found in the wild in the United States and China.
Which Crocodile Is The Most Dangerous?
The most dangerous type of crocodile is the saltwater crocodile, according to a study done by Charles Darwin University.
Although Australians may lovingly refer to these reptiles as “salties,” these crocodiles aren’t nearly as sweet as their local nickname.
Throughout their study, researchers from Charles Darwin University watched different species of crocodiles with infrared cameras for over two years in order to better understand their behavioral patterns.
Out of all the species watched during the study, the saltwater crocodiles were consistently the most aggressive.
Although crocodiles are more aggressive than other reptiles, not all crocodiles are as aggressive as saltwater crocodiles.
Species like the Indian gharial are known for being gentle with each other, but saltwater crocodiles seem to have aggression more deeply wired into their system from a much earlier age.
Another trait that makes saltwater crocodiles more dangerous than their fellow species is their infamous tail twitch.
Saltwater crocodiles will begin to twitch their tails before lunging in for an attack that uses their head like a hammer.
Salties are able to whip their heads with enough force to shatter a person’s skull.
Shortly after being ranked the most dangerous crocodile species, the government of Queensland decided to start having crocodile handlers patrol the beaches where people like to swim in an attempt to lower the number of crocodile attacks.
If a crocodile is captured by the Queensland government, it is sent to live at a zoo, sanctuary, or farm to ensure its safety.
Although Queensland knows they cannot make their public areas completely crocodile free, they want to limit the number of crocodiles losing their lives just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Crocodiles may be aggressive and efficient killers, but they are an important part of their ecosystems.
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