Eating Habits of the Nile Crocodile

Like all crocodilians, the Nile crocodile has a lizard like shape and a scaly hide. Unlike most reptiles, they do not shed their skin, it grows with them. They live in rivers, lakes, freshwater swamps and brackish water throughout southern Africa.

The Nile crocodile is strictly carnivorous and will eat almost anything, there have been some reports that they have been seen eating vegetation. Crocodile hatch-lings will eat minnows and insects, as they get bigger, they eat crustaceans and large fish. Full grown crocodiles will eat anything from fish and turtles, to large mammals such as the wildebeest, hyenas, baboons and even a young hippopotamus or lion..

When an animal comes down to the waters edge for a drink, a waiting crocodile will swim to the shore and wait with just its eyes above the water, only a few feet from the animals head. It will then lung out at the animal and latches on to it with its powerful jaws. If the crocodile is able to get a real firm bite, it will drag its prey into deeper water, and wait for it to drown.

Once the prey is dead, they will bite the animal and roll over and over on it until thy twist off a chunk of meat. Returning to the surface they begin to throw there food in the air and grab it again, each time getting it further down the throat.

Crocodiles may wedge there prey between rocks, or under branches, to hold the prey while it tears off pieces of meat. Also, other crocodiles will hold onto the meat providing an anchor, allowing large chunks to be torn off. When the skin is tough to penetrate, the crocodile will store it till the skin has rotted enough to bit into. Unwanted food is also stored for later.

The tail of the crocodile is to be feared as well. Just one blow from a crocodiles large tail, could easily break the back of its prey.

The Nile crocodile has a different hunting techniques, from simple to savage and complex. Adult Nile crocodiles have been observed using their long tails to corral fish toward the waters bank. The crocodile then uses a sideways snatch and picks up the prey.

They also use their tails to knock prey into the water, where the crocodile has the advantage. Other crocodiles move to the land to scavenge from kills, some that are hundreds of meters from the water. However the element of surprise, is there most used technique.

Social status may have an impact on how a crocodile feeds, the not so dominant croc, tend to eat less when in social contact with a, more dominant crocodile.

For the crocodiles in captivity, it is the responsibility of the keeper to make sure the animal has a balanced diet. Not all keepers are able to have the selection of food available to the crocodile in the while, however there are domesticated foods that are suitable diet that can be given to captive crocodiles.

Wild crocodiles eat the majority of their food whole, or in very large chunks. Not only does the crocodile digest the prey, but it also digests what the prey had consumed prior to being caught. This gives the wild crocodile a wide range of vitamins, proteins, fats and minerals, that it needs for proper health.

Captive crocodiles can get the same nutrients if fed a whole prey, that has just eaten. This is often referred to as gut loading. Offering a large variety of food ensures that the crocodile is getting what it needs and not suffering from mal-nutrition.

sources:

http://www.thecrocodileexperience.com/nilefeeding.html

http://www.nfi.org.za/herps/crocodylus_niloticus.htm

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/crocodiles.htm