10 Crocodile Facts You Might Not Know

Recently I brought you a short animation about how a crocodile digests its food, because I thought it would be a nice change and not everybody will know it. So here are 10 other crocodile facts that's you might not know.

Crocodile fact number 1

The first crocodiles appeared 240 million years ago, this was the same time as the dinosaurs.

Crocodile fact number 2

It varies between species but it's thought that crocodile's have anywhere from 60 to 70 teeth. They aren't used to chew, but instead are used to crush and grip its prey.  Like a shark, crocodiles teeth are continuously replaced, with it getting through and estimated 3000 teeth along its life, which means no trips to the dentist.

Crocodile fact number 3

Crocodiles can exert up to 3700lbs (1678kg) per square inch of pressure when closing their jaws, but the force for opening them is so weak, that a thick elastic band is enough to tie a crocodiles jaw closed.

Crocodile fact number 4

As crocodiles don't chew they have to swallow their food in its entirety, if the prey is too large to be swallowed whole, the crocodile will thrash or roll to tear it into smaller pieces. Crocodiles also swallow stones that help to grind food inside their stomachs much like birds do.  These stones also act as a ballast for the crocodile, helping it maintain balance in the water.

Crocodile fact number 5

A crocodile has a four chambered heart similar to birds and mammals, but when diving the crocodile heart behaves like a three chambered reptilian heart. It's thought this is what allows the crocodile to stay underwater for long periods.

Crocodile fact number 6

Crocodiles can swim up to 25mph (40kph) in short bursts, just with the help of their powerful tail.

Crocodile fact number 7

The largest crocodile species is the Saltwater crocodile that can be found in the seas around India, Northern Australia and surrounding areas. They can grow to up to 7 m (23 ft) in length and 1 tonne in weight. But a crocodile egg is no larger than that of a goose egg.

Crocodile fact number 8

Ninety-nine per cent of crocodile offspring are eaten in the first year after birth, they are eaten by other predators including other adult crocodiles.

Crocodile fact number 9

When crocodiles sit on river banks with their mouths open this is not a sign of aggression. They are actually trying to cool off as they sweat through their mouths.

Crocodile fact number 10

To "cry crocodile tears" is a common expression when displaying fake sadness. However, this has origins in the myth that crocodiles weep while eating. There has been research that has shown that crocodiles actually shed tears during a meal, but this is for biological reasons, rather than some kind of crocodile remorse. There has been several explanations for this, but as yet there are no decisive answers given.

So that's it for this article, hopefully you learnt something new. If you enjoyed this post then don't forget to share it on facebook and twitter.

If you want to make a suggestion for one of these list type posts, then leave me a comment below.

Bonus for our site visitors:

How do you tell a crocodile and an alligator apart?

Head - Crocodiles have a V shaped head and alligators have a U shaped head.

Teeth - both upper and lower crocodile teeth show on the outside, but only upper teeth of the alligator show on the outside.

Crocodile teeth are  actually hollow, with the replacement tooth growing inside of the old one.

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