12 facts about crocodiles
- The sex of a crocodile is determined on the basis of its temperature. Males are produced at around 31.6 deg C and females, at slightly lower or higher temperature.
- Crocodiles have very sharp teeth that help them in tearing and holding onto flesh. However, they cannot open their mouth if it is held closed, even with the help of an adhesive tape.
- Crocodiles can produce sounds during distress as well as in aggressive displays.
- At time, a female crocodile helps the eggs hatch, by gently cracking the shells in her mouth.
- Only the belly skin of crocodiles is soft, the back skin is covered in bones. In fact, the back skin of a crocodile can reflect arrows, spears and even bullets!
- In many tribal societies, crocodile skin is regarded to be a symbol of high status.
- The teeth of a crocodile get replaced continuously, throughout its life.
- Each crocodile jaw has 24 sharp teeth, used for grasping and crushing, but not chewing.
- The crocodiles have a four-chambered heart, which behaves like a three-chambered reptilian one, when underwater.
- Crocodiles sweat through their mouth and the gesture of lying with their mouth wide open is just a way to cool off.
- The first crocodiles appeared on earth, around 240 million years ago, around the same time as dinosaurs.
- The bite force of a crocodile is more than 5,000 pounds per square inch.
