The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is not a fussy eater. Waiting patiently submerged, eyes and nostrils showing, it will lunge at any animal foolish enough to come too close to the water's edge. It is the largest living reptile and the bigger it is, the bigger its prey. It will take animals as large as buffalo, dragging them underwater to drown them. For this it has a useful valve at the back of the throat that seals off the mouth and prevents it from swallowing water. It will kill and eat unwary humans too, although the chances of being a victim are slim: more people die from bee stings each year than from crocodile attacks.
It does have its caring side. A mother crocodile stands guard over the mound where she has laid her eggs for 100 days then carries the young to the water one by one in unexpectedly gentle jaws.
.mp4_000587766.jpg "Saltwater Crocodile (Series 02 - Episode 20).mp4 000587766.jpg (86 KB)")
