In the clip, a small crocodile slowly crawls down to approach a larger crocodile lying motionless in a lake in Australia. When it started to attack, the larger crocodile opened its massive jaws to bite back. Due to not being able to take precautions, the small crocodile’s whole body tilted upward.
Without waiting for the small crocodile to have a chance to land, the large crocodile continued to grab the opponent’s tail tightly and then threw it strongly from side to side. It is known that the smaller crocodile was lucky to escape and keep its life. The entire melee was recorded by a passerby and shared on the social network Reddit.
Crocodiles are master hunters. They often swim directly towards small prey such as shrimp and crabs, then swallow them whole. But with larger prey like pigs and deer, they can be very cautious. Sometimes, they wait underwater for hours waiting for large animals to come near to drink water, then quietly attack suddenly at a distance of one meter.
Crocodiles will target the prey’s head or legs, then drag it into the water to drown it. Occasionally, they roll rapidly while clutching their prey, to break its neck or legs.
Paleontologist Gregory M. Erickson at the University of Florida and his colleagues conducted a comprehensive study of all extant crocodile species through a bite force test. Among the 23 species of crocodile, the one with the strongest bite force is the saltwater crocodile (2.6 million kg/m²). Their bite force is enough to crush the bones of their prey.
Cannibalism is quite common in crocodiles. As long as they are hungry, they can kill smaller crocodiles, including juveniles, to temporarily satisfy their stomachs screaming for additional nutrition.
Crocodiles also eat opponents who violate their territory. In particular, large crocodiles often live alone and are highly territorial, according to the non-profit conservation organization Defenders of Wildlife.
