Nile Crocodile Threat Display
Like all crocodilians, the Nile Crocodiles along the Zambezi River are ectotherms, regulating their body temperature by leaving the water to bask in the sun, or seeking shade or cooler water when necessary. Mouth-gaping is also essential to thermoregulation but should not be confused with the threat display seen here.
Quite at home in the water, the crocodile is more vulnerable on land where it has to rely on its short limbs for locomotion and can only cover short distances before tiring. They can seem slow and sluggish but are actually quite fast and agile while hunting and defending.
Crocodiles have a powerful bite and can apply 5,000 pounds of pressure per square inch, among the strongest bites of any animal in the world. They have between 60-110 sharp, conical teeth that sink into flesh allowing a strong grip. When a crocodile loses a tooth, there is a small replacement already on standby. They are able to replace each of their teeth up to 50 times over their lifespan, and can go through 4,000 teeth in a lifetime. They also possess a special palatal valve at the back of their throat which can be closed, allowing them to move underwater with an open mouth to grab and hold prey without ingesting water.
Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.
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