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02-25-2021, 01:52 AM( This post was last modified: 03-10-2021, 10:04 PM by AMG-DS )
I found this video, which shows some interactions between both creatures, and as we can see, sharks act very curious about crocodiles, while crocodiles seem to act a bit aggressive towards sharks.
(02-09-2019, 12:25 PM)TheSmok Wrote: Not only largest crocodiles take buffaloes. Large healthy bulls (mature bulls can reach a weight of 900 kg for the African buffalo and 1200 kg for the Australian water buffalo) are certainly a difficult target for most crocodiles except for very large individuals (maybe 18+ feet long). But this is true for many predator-prey interactions and does not cancel the fact that crocodiles can be important predators for buffaloes in some areas.
15+ ft saltie take large buffalo at Bhitarkanika national park:
A recent isotope study has shown that buffaloes (after wild pigs) are the main food source for the saltwater crocodiles in Kakadu National Park:
Quote:The estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is one of the largest and most widespread crocodilians in the world. Although considered an apex species, the role of the estuarine crocodile in aquatic foodwebs is poorly understood; we know what crocodiles ingest, but not what nourishes them. In this study, we used a combination of stable isotope measurements (δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S) and direct feeding observations to identify the source of nutrition of estuarine crocodiles in Kakadu National Park, Northern Australia. Our results show that most crocodiles sampled (size 850 – 4200mm, with 76% of them being > 2.5 m) consume a large variety of prey, however a large proportion of their nutrition is derived from terrestrial prey. Introduced species such as water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) and pigs (Sus scrofa) could contribute between 53 and 84% to the nutrition of the sampled crocodiles. The isotopic composition of large crocodiles (total length > 3 m) suggested possible increase in marine prey consumption with size (R2 = 0.30; p = 0.005). Additionally, we found crocodiles sampled in the dry season had on average higher terrestrial contributions compared to crocodiles sampled during the wet season (84.1 ± 2.4% versus 55.4 ± 7.0%). Overall, we found that terrestrial prey are important source of nutrition for many crocodiles in this region where introduced herbivorous mammals are abundant.
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Crocodile isotopic composition was closest to that of terrestrial animals in dual isotope space (δ13C vs δ15N, Fig 3A and 3B), especially pigs and buffaloes. When plotting δ15N vs δ34S, crocodiles in both EAR and SAR were closest to pigs and mullet (Fig 3C and 3D). In 3D isotope plots (Fig 4), crocodiles most closely plot around terrestrial and riverine sources. Using the proximity-based method for evaluating diet relationships in 3D isotope space (δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S), terrestrial animals had the highest contribution to the diet of crocodiles in both EAR and SAR with contributions of 58.9 ± 2.0 and 69.0 ± 0.6%, respectively (Fig 4). Contributions for pigs and buffalo were particularly high with 23.0 ± 1.2 and 22.2 ± 1.7% for the EAR, and 27.3 ± 2.9 and 24.0 ± 2.2% for the SAR.
*This image is copyright of its original author
There are also many videos of salties feeding on large buffalo carcasses. But it is not known whether they killed them or just found carcasses. Here I can mention an similar account that demonstrates the tremendous power and swimming skills of a large saltwater croc:
Quote:During movement of "The Shiralee" upstream, we sighted a very large crocodile at km 41, dragging a dead bloated feral water buffalo across the river. The crocodile was midstream when we sighted it, at which time it dived with the buffalo held in its mouth and swam underwater some 20 to 30 m. This awe inspiring feat of strength had to be seen to be believed. The crocodile was the largest ever seen by HM during his 14 years of research on the tidal waterways of northern Australia and was estimated to be in excess of 20 feet in length. We had excellent views of the animal's head and estimated it to be at least one metre in length. A few days later we observed a 14 ft C. porosus with a freshly captured 6 ft struggling eel in its mouth. The eel struggled fiercely and kept wrapping its body around the head of the crocodile -but to no avail. The crocodile kept a posture, similar to that which we described on page 454, Monograph 1, when we witnessed a large crocodile capture a shark
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Crocodile Specialist Group. Working Meeting. IUCN, 1986.
And this intresting account:
*This image is copyright of its original author
Source.
5-meter saltwater crocodile from Australian zoo named Acco reportedly took buffaloes as well:
Quote:There was a legend in North Queensland of a huge black crocodile that was thought to be measured over 35 feet long. Fishermen working in the river system would come back scared from a narrow escape battle with the giant croc known through Queensland as Acco. It was said that Acco had sunk boats, torn nets, and driven lots of fishermen from the river. It was even said that he could attack and kill a scrub bull, then he would drag the carcass hundreds of feet across mudflats and eat it. He was also known to be able to swallow a whole “Barra” boar. Croc hunters would compete and try to shoot Acco for the supreme award. Fishermen started to complain so the government sent in professional croc catchers, but they could not capture the huge croc.
Quote:Six species only have been recorded as being killed by crocodiles but this figure must be affected by the difficulty of locating kills in the rivers and the short time they are available. Other than lion, crocodile is the only predator recorded as taking buffalo. The sample of kills is small but puku head the list. It is likely also that lechwe on the Busanga are also taken.
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Apart from an old bull taken by a crocodile the only recorded predators of buffalo were lion.
Buffaloes are the largest animals found in common sympatry with saltwater crocodiles. But not with the Nile crocs. There are accounts showing that Nile crocodiles can take larger animals than buffaloes.
Crocodiles feeding on giraffe kill:
Quote:That was a digression. It seems remarkable that a Crocodile would even try to overpower something with the size and weight of a bull Giraffe, an animal which, even when caught off balance, can bring galvanic strength into play. The three observations that follow tell virtually the same story. But the interval of years shows that even this is not an unusual event: Visitors to Uaso Nyiro witnessed a fight between a crocodile and a giraffe." Kenya Parks 1952...During October, a fully grown female giraffe was pulled into the river and drowned...
Also there is an account describing a group of crocodiles killing a wounded bull hippo from Guggisberg (1972). I do not have access to this book now, but here is the description from wikipedia:
Quote:At the no-longer-existent Rippon Falls in Uganda, one adult male hippopotamus was seen to be badly injured in a mating battle with a rival bull hippo, and was then subsequently attacked by several crocodiles, causing it to retreat to a reedbed. When the male hippo returned to the water, it was drowned and killed by the group of crocodiles amid "a truly terrifying commotion".
Adult hippos should be immune to the Nile crocs predation under normal conditions, although it is possible that the largest individuals such as 20+ ft Gustave may try to take a lone hippo.
Great white sharks do take Northern elephant seals, but successful predation on adult males is extremely rare (we actually have more reports of Nile crocodile predation on adult giraffes) and sharks almost always take juvenile animals. In all cases that I know adult males of elephant seals were taken by the very large sharks (up to 18-20 feet long) what is mean that prey was as large or even smaller than the predator. I should also note that weights over 2 tons (up to 2265 +-43 kg) are reported for Northern elephant seal males during the breeding season when they have a large amount of body fat and can lose up to 10 kg per day (and finally lose up to 37.6%-46.3% of body mass from the moment of arrival). The mass of the largest males of Northern elephant seals without additional body fat does not exceed 1.4-1.5 tons and the typical mass does not exceed 1 t. See Deutsch et al. (1989).
I also found this source which claims that a fight between a Loxodonta Africana and a Crocodylus Niloticus ended in the death of both specimens.
(02-22-2015, 09:19 AM)Vodmeister Wrote: The 7,000 lbs great white shark was never actually officially recorded, there's about as much evidence to support it as there is to support the idea of the 23 feet 4,000 lbs saltwater crocodile in India.
However:
The largest confirmed saltwater crocodile on record was 6.3 m (20.7 ft) long, and weighed over 1,360 kg (3,000 lbs).[18]
Salties aren't anywhere near as big today as they were in the past because of excessive hunting of the largest. There are a lot of accounts of supposed 23 feet, 28 feet or even 30 feet long crocodiles out there. None reliable enough.
Saltwater Crocodile-Great White Shark interactions
