Read Dr. Britton's responses on the following croc topics:
Crocodile Predators
Crocodile Speed
Croc/Human Interaction
Crocodile Size
Crocodile Hunting
Crocodile Defense
Alligators vs. Crocodiles
Crocodile Mothering
Crocodile Infections
Crocodile Bites
Crocs in Water
Croc Body Heat
The Crocodile Heart

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Q: On Crocodile Hunting

Out of all the crocodilians in the world, which is the most effective hunter and why?

Tim Weston

A: I wouldn't single out any species as being more or less effective than the others. If you look at all 23 species of crocodile, alligator, caiman and gharial you'll see many similarities, but each is capable of making the best use of available resources — including food.

Most crocodilian species are generalists — they have broad requirements and can adapt if their environment changes. The ability to adapt equals the ability to survive, which we know crocs are particularly good at! Their hunting behavior is no exception, and most species have broad tastes in their food (everything from insects and gastropods to birds and mammals).

However, several species are better suited to certain types of prey — caimans and alligators have strong, broad jaws ideal for crushing snails, mussels and turtles; gharials and slender-snouted species have needle-sharp teeth and jaws that sweep effortlessly through the water to snare slippery fish. These differences develop over thousands of years because subtle environmental "pressures" push species to evolve so they can better exploit available resources. For example, if there were high densities of snails but low densities of fish, a species would be better off with strong crushing jaws rather than graceful needle-like noses. So overall each species is very effective at hunting in its own environment.

That's all very scientific, but what about some visceral excitement! Seeing a Nile crocodile pluck several hundred kilos of wildebeest or zebra from the bank and flip it into the water like a rag doll is certainly pretty spectacular, and very effective! This crocodile is famous for taking large prey, more so than any other species in fact. One thing people don't often realize is that Nile crocodiles normally eat much smaller prey like fish — wildebeest and zebra are occasional "treats" for most individuals, yet their availability has probably ensured Nile crocodiles developed the means, size and behavior to tackle them.

More Expert Talk Did you know that crocs cough up hairballs like cats? Listen to our audio interview with Dr. Adam Britton.