Re: Predation

chris brochu (gator@mail.utexas.edu)
31 Oct 1995 16:27:18 GMT

In article <1995Oct30.153823.10749@arl.mil> Troy Kelley,
tkelley@hel4.brl.mil writes:
>As far as this crocodile thing is concerned, I hope Jim Moore won't mind
>if we laid it to rest.
>
I don't know about Jim, but as a crocodylian systematist, I won't.

>Jim keeps insisting that crocs don't respond to threat displays. But I
>would bet you that if I had a big sharp stick and some big rocks, that I
>could make a croc's life pretty miserable if I wanted to.

You're probably right. Nevertheless, there are numerous documented cases
of a croc continuing to kill and eat prey items that tried to make life
miserable. That they don't respond to threat displays by anything
smaller than a hippo is documented fact. Period.

(shortened)
>
>The first was the shoreline of an ocean which has significant wave
>action.

Check out the reference I posted elsewhere with a photograph of a croc on
a wavy beach.

BTW crocs may not frequent such environments, but these are about the
worst places for a land-based mammal to make a living.

I know jim we went around and around on the fact that crocodiles
>can tolerate salt water. And I know they can. If they get accidentially
>washed out to sea, they won't immediately die. But you posted yourself
>the information that said the "salt water crocodile" was actually a
>mis-nomer, and that the animal lives in fresh/bracish water.

I would disagree. The Indopacific saltwater crocodile is found quite
frequently in coastal waters. So is the Nile croc. Perhaps not on
beaches that often, but in salt water nonetheless.

>Secondly, someone who's name escapes me, posted some interesting
>information about whether crocs would be in mountain lakes. They are not
>about to climb up the side of a mountain to inhabit a cold mountain lake.

So I suppose the fact that they occur in such lakes in some places is
irrelevant?

chris