Crocodiles

Nile crocodile An African tale

A long time ago when animals ruled the world Africa was a very different place all the animals understood each other and got a long peacefully. In the calm waters of the lake lived the crocodile. Every evening he would crawl out at twilight and his smooth beautiful skin glowed in the light of the moon.

One night a curious frog saw this beautiful creature over awed by his glowing skin he croaked loud praises.

Soon all the other animals came to gaze at the crocodile large herds of Waterbuck, and zebra arrived to admire him where he basked on the bank.
Crocodile saw there admiring look and he became vain.

Each day he would crawl out a bit earlier to enjoy their admirations a little bit longer but as he did nothing but lay their they eventually when away bored. The hot sun began to dry his beautiful skin and it grew hard and greenish and bumpy and scalely. covered in shame crocodile slank back to the water to hide his once lovely body he paid a high price for vanity. To this day crocodile blames frog for his misfortune. If ever he hears one crack he silences it with a snap of his jaws.

The nile crocodile is Africa’s largest and best known crocodile. Lay three tall men end to end and put the weight of 14 together and you have a big nile crocodile. Though its brain is the largest in the reptile world it is still only the size of a thumb.

Crocodiles are designed for water where they can see smell, breath and hear while almost totally submergered. Eyes that look like a snakes have three sets of eye lids top and bottom and an inner set, the nictitating membrane. These keep the eyes moist and clean and act as googles for underwater work. A crocodile ears are the sharpest of reptiles with moverble ear flaps that act like a loud speakers volume control.

Short stubby legs end in webbed back feet for paddling in water, and blunter front feet for climbing and digging. Crocodiles have no lips and even with jaws clamped water still leaks in however plumbing problems are solved by a special palet at the back of the throat this shut on submission keeping the crocodile water tight. Crocodiles can’t chew their lower jaw move up and down not side ways. so they must crush their food. A crocodile’s jaw pack emense power and 66 teeth inter lock like a zip faster. Their combined force can crush a big animal.

Crocodiles can live to 100 years during that time they never stop growing. Their tails contrary to popular belief isn’t used to knock prey off their feet. It is a propeller and is one of the distinct features that make the crocodile a superem designed predator with almost no natural enemy.

Crocodiles like their food fresh.