Ten interesting facts about crocodiles

Crocodiles inhabit the Tropics of Asia, Africa, Australia, and America. They belong to the order Crocodilia, which also includes alligators and caimans. Due to their swift movement in water, crocodiles can appear quite intimidating. In fact, they can swim at speeds of up to 22 miles per hour. Their muscular tails and webbed feet act as rudders, allowing them to achieve such velocity. Here are 10 interesting facts about crocodiles that you may not know: 1. Crocodiles are related to dinosaurs. While crocodiles are reptiles, they are more closely related to dinosaurs and birds than other reptiles. Crocodile-like creatures first appeared on Earth approximately 240 million years ago, around the same time as dinosaurs. The first crocodile was about three feet long and walked on two legs, with shorter front legs compared to their hind legs. 2. The term "crocodile tears" originated from the behavior of crocodiles. These tears are considered fake, as crocodiles produce them while eating. As they swallow their food, air from their sinuses enters the tear ducts and causes their eyes to overflow, creating the appearance of crying. Crocodiles also emit huffing and hissing sounds when fed, which may lead to watery eyes. 3. Crocodiles possess the most powerful bite among all animals on Earth. While a human jaw exerts only 100 pounds of pressure per inch, crocodile jaws can apply up to 3,700 pounds of pressure per inch. Their bite is ten times stronger than that of a great white shark. However, the muscles responsible for opening their jaws are relatively weak, allowing humans to easily close their mouths with a rubber band or hand. 4. Baby crocodiles make noises inside their eggs before hatching. A remarkable characteristic of crocodiles is that young ones communicate with their mothers from within the eggshell. The mother crocodile can hear the whispers of her offspring, even when the eggs are buried in sand. She retrieves the eggs, protects them until they hatch, carries them to rivers, and feeds them insects. 5. Crocodiles are the largest known reptiles on Earth. When measuring their full length, saltwater crocodiles take the title as the largest living reptiles. Adult saltwater crocodiles can exceed seven meters in length, making them the longest reptiles worldwide. They can weigh up to 5,000 kilograms or approximately 2,600 pounds. 6. Despite having 24 sharp teeth, crocodiles rarely use them for chewing. Instead, they employ their teeth to catch, grasp, and crush prey or food. Crocodiles swallow small stones, which aid in grinding food within their stomachs. Although their jaws exert considerable force when closing, minimal force is required to keep them closed. 7. The temperature of a crocodile egg determines the gender of the offspring. Male crocodile eggs hatch at a temperature of 88.8 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature deviates above or below this threshold, female crocodile eggs will hatch. 8. Crocodiles sometimes rest with their mouths wide open. If you encounter a crocodile in this posture, it is often just resting. While this may instill subconscious fear for personal safety, crocodiles open their jaws to facilitate ventilation. Since crocodiles cannot sweat, they use this method to dissipate body heat. 9. Crocodiles may swallow small stones to aid digestion. Crocodiles that consume prey with shells and bones, or those that swallow their prey whole, benefit from ingesting stones called gastroliths. These stones grind the food within their stomachs, and crocodiles can retain them for many years. 10. Sadly, 99% of baby crocodiles perish within their first year. Despite being fearsome predators, young crocodiles are highly vulnerable. The infant mortality rate is exceptionally high, with up to 99% of young crocodiles dying before reaching one year old. Various predators, including adult crocodiles, lizards, hyenas, and large fish, consume most of them. Unfortunately, some humans also indulge in consuming crocodile eggs. Crocodiles are incredible creatures, possessing not only a formidable bite and impressive size but also unique attributes. However, their skins are often harvested to create branded bags, shoes, and wallets, resulting in many crocodiles being killed. As humans, we can contribute by reducing the demand for these products, thus helping to save more crocodiles.