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Okavanga — Cool Croc!
#crocodile #stlucia #teeth #wildanimal #wildlifephotography
Published: 2016-09-15 10:59:30 +0000 UTC; Views: 701; Favourites: 59; Downloads: 8
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MenagerieIn what will be my last Journal for the time being about my recent adventures in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa, I want to quickly survey several of the animals that we observed in Makakatana, Phinda Vlei, Montusi, and Cleopatra. I've posted features on zebra, elephants, lions, giraffe, and cheetah, along with a couple on birds, but we saw so many more animals that need at least a mention. Without further ado here's one to wake you up: Mr Cool Crocodile. We spotted this one on the banks of the estuary near St Lucia, while on our Makakatana boat trip. I don't know if you are familiar with the "Weeping Angels" of Dr Who fame, blink and they move, but crocodiles are a bit like that. We gazed at this fully grown monster for several minutes lying with its head down, apparently fast asleep, then in the blink of an eye while I focused my camera, up came the head, and open went the mouth. That beady eye has us in its view. The crocodile is not, in
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Comments: 25
Cheers
David
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Indeed - quite the perfect specimen.
Many Thanks
David
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I love crocs and alligators. It staggers the imagination (sorry for the cliche) to think that they were around with the dinosaurs but survived the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous.
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Good point, Brett. They are a close link to the past. They are, according to our guide on this river, a delightful 75 year old guy called Warwick, very clever creatures that can hold long-term memories of places, and events. So, they record what comes down to the river to drink, when, how often, and exactly where. They will then lie up waiting for this prey to appear. I'm not 100% convinced by this as all such predation could be just by happenstance, but I'm open to evidence on the matter.
Glad you like my shot. Many thanks.
David
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Wow, that is one terrific crocodile portrait! It almost doesn't look real, the textures are so great. Wonderful! 
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Another good point, Linda. "It almost doesn't look real..." Yes, part of that feeling is because of the immobility - they just lie there not doing anything, except in the blink of an eye something did occur - opening its mouth for example - so fast, switch of the tail - did it happen or not. So there is an air of the tailor's dummy about them - but a deadly dummy.
Many thanks
David
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And, if the definition of the word "ugly" was put up for competition, the croc would win the title!!!!! I reckon!!
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I bet you wouldn't say that to ts face!
Many Thanks, Henry.
David
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Definitely not! Unless I wanted to donate a 'leg and an arm' from my body! Its skin says; it should have been a tree with that bark and not a skin of an animal
Cheers!
Henry K
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David, if that be so - that the croc opens it mouth to cool down the temp on its body, don't you think that, there are identical chips in the croc's body and that of a dog? I don't think a dog is able to breathe with its mouth shut. I may be 'insane' and thinking aloud. But, you are responsible for making me think this way - your story about the croc and the opening of its mouth. There is another theory, though not scientifically proven or tested. That, the croc opens its mouth wide so that, the flies may land there, thinking that the croc is dead and rotting. That, when there are lots of flies, the croc will close its mouth; trapping the flies inside and for a delicious tender meal. Any truth in that, David?
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You raise a good point, Henry. Here is a link to someone who also says the jaws are opened to help the croc cool down ==> www.wildlife-pictures-online.c… , and that was the explanation given by rangers. Nevertheless, upon thinking about it the matter is more complicated. Apparently, crocodiles do not have sweat glands so they cannot get rid of excess heat that way, unlike a dog. They do have a hide that is a bit like armour plating and through which blood circulates via capillaries. So, that is a mechanism for both heat loss and heat gain on sunny days. That would be augmented by opening the mouth to reveal the soft tissue and let heat be gained or lost that way, just like dogs do when they pant. So, there is some similarity in heat control to mammals like a dog, but crocodiles are cold-blooded, that is they cannot regulate the temperature of their blood apart from using an external mechanism. Dogs and humans can use other internal mechanisms like sweating.
As to the fly trap idea, I doubt that that has much credence. Unless, there was a way in which the flies could be trapped in the mouth, they would just fly out again.
Cheers
David
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thanks, David. I've visited that site and saw a picture of what I'll call a "beautiful-well-fed" crocodile. That one is "beautiful" and it shows that, it is at Nduma - a "beautiful" place in North Kwa Zulu Natal. You can tap that croc on its head, David and it will not hurt you. Too beautiful to do any harm to anybody!!! You can even try a 'croc-ride' and lose no limb!!!
Thanks for the informed explanation on the crocs!
Cheers
Henry K
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I'll leave those actions to you, Henry. Looks pretty fearsome to me.
David
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A 'dozing beauty' to me!!! I hear that, the croc meat is delicious! I haven't tried it!
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I've had croc meat once or twice a few years ago - Botswana I think. It tastes a bit like chicken with a slightly different flavour - not bad.
David
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I'll give it a try one day! I'll need a strong guy (like you, Dave) to catch one for me!
Henry K
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