Nile crocodiles in Israel

The men and women of the Bible were familiar with the crocodile from the Nile (Crocodylus niloticus), was common not only in Egypt, but also in Israel. In fact, we know that this huge reptile lived in Biblical lands because bone remains have been found in caves on Mount Carmel. Near Caesarea there is a stream which flows into the Mediterranean, and is known as “the crocodile stream”, or Nájal Taniním, where these reptiles could be seen right up until the start of the 20th century. The last time a crocodile was spotted in this place was 1912, and its remains are conserved in the zoological collection of a Catholic bishop, popularly known as “Father Schmitz”, just north of the Damascus Gate in the old city of Jerusalem. Thus we know that there were indeed there were Nilotic crocodiles in the Holy Land.

In ancient Egypt, they were regarded as sacred animals, capable of predicting the future of mortals, and there were even special places for their veneration in cities such as Kom Ombo, Thebes among others. The Pharaohs often had crocodiles in captivity in suitably adapted spaces in their palaces, as they were believed to be divine beings and formed part of the cast of Egypt’s mythological entities. When crocodiles died, they were mummified like the Pharaohs themselves. One of these gods, Sobek, was represented as a man with a crocodile’s head, associated with the fertility, the protection and the power of the Pharaoh.

The Nile crocodile is not exclusive to this river, as it can also be found in rivers and lakes in tropical Africa, and on the island of Madagascar. It is a sauropsida reptile, belonging to the Crocodylidae family, and can measure up to six metres long and weigh about 900 kg. Its reputation for devouring human beings is, in fact, well-deserved, as it is estimated that around 200 people are eaten by crocodiles every year. They don’t discriminate between a gazelle drinking water at the riverside and a person washing their clothes. However, their diet is usually made up of fish, zebras, nus, small hippopotami, carrion and smaller crocodiles. They can consume up to half their weight at once. Unlike other reptiles which leave their nests after laying their eggs, crocodiles and attentive and caring parents. They protect their nests fiercely and, after the eggs are hatched, they carry their new-born to the water in their mouths.

They hunt by hiding under the surface of the water, near the water’s edge, and wait patiently for animals to approach to drink. In a flash they then leap out, grab their prey and drag it into the water to drown it. They use their numerous teeth are not to chew their victim, but to hold it in their mouths. Then they turn round on their own body until they can tear off a large chunk of flesh. This behaviour is known as “the twist of death”. In ancient Egypt, crocodiles were also associated with Seth, the god of evil. Hence, even today some people groups, such as the Nubian fishermen, place stuffed crocodiles at the entrance of their homes with the superstitious intention of warding off evil spirits.

This text refers, among other animals, to crocodiles, and includes them in the list of unclean animals which the Israelites were forbit to eat. As we have seen, some of these animals were divinised by the surrounding cultures, so there were undoubtedly also religious reasons for this prohibition. Nevertheless, now we know that there were important sanitary reasons behind it. At that time people could not have known why it was dangerous to eat reptile flesh. Now, however, it is known to be potentially toxic. Consuming the flesh of reptiles – such as crocodiles, lizards or snakes – can cause a range of diseases and health problems, including trichinosis,pentastomiasis, gnatostomiasis, esparganosis, among others, since they contain pathogenic bacteria, especially Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia, Campylobacter, Clostridium and Staphylococcus.

For that reason, health authorities recommend that this type of meat be frozen before being eaten, and that it never be eaten raw, so as to avoid possible risks to one’s health. The Scriptures embody wisdom which greatly surpasses the human knowledge of the period when they were written. A crocodile can weigh, as we have seen, up to 900 kg, however, its brain is no bigger than a human thumb. Despite this, they are animals that have adapted so well to their environment that they have never been in danger of extinction.

2nd freshwater crocodile spotted in 50 years

For over a century now, freshwater crocodiles were believed to be extinct from the country. However, in the past 50 years two such crocodiles were spotted, the most recent one being at Char Komorpur in Pabna.

The crocodile has taken shelter in a disconnected lagoon of the Padma river for over a week at the char, near Komorpur village.

Locals in the area said since the water level has receded, the lagoon was disconnected from the main channel of the river.

This was the second freshwater crocodile seen in a river in the last 50 years as it was believed to be extinct from the country's rivers for a century, the forest department said.

Locals said the huge crocodile was seen in the water near the river bank a week ago. While some villagers made attempts to kill the animal out of fear, others protested.Jamal Hossain, a resident of Komorpur village, said, “I saw the animal a week ago when I went to fish in the river. I panicked and ran away to inform the villagers. They tried to kill it but I stopped them.”

The fear of the crocodile has stopped locals from going to the river. They have demanded that the animal be rescued from the spot and relocated but forest department officials have refused to do so for the sake of the reptile's safety.

About six to seven feet long, a part of the crocodile's face can sometimes be seen above the water. It eats fish in the river or foxes that roam near the banks, locals said.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Md Mahabubur Rahman, divisional forest officer in Pabna, said that forest department and wild life department officials visited the spot and together took the decision to let the crocodile stay where it was.

“This is a big crocodile and the lagoon near the river is safe for the animal. The crocodile takes shelter in the deepest portion of the water body about one kilometer away from the locality. There is also enough food for it in the spot,” Mahabub said.

Asked about why the crocodile may have come to this spot, the forest officer said it was possibly for the sake of food and safe shelter.

“We do not have any freshwater crocodile in our river system. Another freshwater crocodile was seen a few years ago in the Madhumati river. This one has probably come to Bangladesh from India through Padma river,” said Zahidul Karim, a wildlife conservationist.

Zahidul added he would hold talks with the local authorities concerned so that the animal is not harmed until the lagoon is connected to the river's main channel again and it can leave on its own.

Rare American crocodiles living on Sanibel

Florida golfers know alligators all too well, but they don't often encounter rare American crocodiles.

That's changing on a local barrier island, where an adult croc has recently been photographed sunning itself alongside alligators at the Sanibel Island Golf Club.

"The crocodile is here all the time, she hangs out on hole No. 11, and she’s a female," said Mary Donnelly, wife of course owner Drew Donnelly. "Don't ask me how they know it's a female. And the maintenance guys call her Fred."

Crocodiles have been documented on Sanibel before, and a few have even been found in the Cape Coral area.

What's the difference?: How to tell the difference between a crocodile and an alligator

Their ranges overlaps in extreme southern Florida, along the coasts and in Florida Bay.

Seeing one is unique, but capturing both species in one photo is akin to winning a scratch-off lottery.

"I hadn’t seen it until that picture, but I know a guy who walked up and the croc was laying there with its head on the alligator’s tale," Drew Donnelly added. "But he didn’t get a picture."

University of Florida researcher and crocodile expert Frank Mazzotti said a few crocodiles have made it as far north as Tampa.

Nests have been documented on Sanibel, but none of the eggs hatched.

"Before that horrible freeze in 2010 we had a crocodile that spent much of its time in the (J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife) Refuge and it used to nest in people's yards," Mazzotti said. "That animal nested over a number of years but there was never any evidence that the eggs were fertile."

Mazzotti said there are fewer than 2,000 American crocodiles, which is up from a population that only had 20 recorded nests per year during the 1970s.

Today, there are more than 150 nests in an average year, he said.

Mazzotti said both American alligators and crocodiles are relatively docile among the crocodilian world, which includes the 20-foot varieties found in Africa and Australia.

"Alligators are a wee bit more aggressive," Mazzotti admitted. "You can tell that when you catch them. Alligators put up a little more of a struggle than crocodiles."

Who wins in a fight?

"An old newspaper article written in the 1920s described a bunch of Everglades City boys with a big alligator and some Key Largo boys that had a big croc," Mazzotti said. "And the story is they pitted them against each other and the alligator ended up winning because it had a larger jaw."

Endangered Colombian crocodiles get a helping hand

The future of a critically endangered crocodile in Colombia just got a little brighter, thanks to a reintroduction program that resulted in the release of more than 40 of the reptiles in the past year.

Twenty Orinoco crocodiles (Crocodylus intermedius) were reintroduced into El Tuparro Natural National Park this month, a site where an additional 21 crocodiles were released back in May 2015, the Wildlife Conservation Society said in a statement. All the crocodiles will be carrying radio transmitters to track their movements and monitor their adaptation to their natural environment.

Dubbed “Crocodile Lagoon” the area of the relocation on the right bank of the Tomo River was picked to ensure these crocs survive. Previous surveys have found the presence of large predators and abundant wildlife in the area including jaguars, pumas, river otters, tapirs and curassows as well as plenty of fish.

This reintroduction is part of the Proyecto Vida Silvestre, a program launched in 2014 to protect 10 wildlife species in Colombia’s Llanos Orientales and Magdalena Medio regions. Proyecto Vida Silvestre is led by WCS Colombia and supported by Ecopetrol and the Fundación Mario Santo Domingo.

The Orinoco crocodile population plummeted in the latter part of the 20th century, mostly due to commercial hunting for its skin.

Growing up to 17 feet in length, the Orinoco crocodile is one of the largest crocodilian species in the world. It lives exclusively in the lowlands of the Orinoco basin that straddles both Colombia and Venezuela, and reproduces once a year.

WCS says that approximately 200 Orinoco crocodiles are thought to exist in the wild in Colombia. There are more Orinoco crocodiles in Venezuela, according to the organization, which does not have an estimate of the numbers there.

Multiple fathers for reintroduced endangered Orinoco crocodile egg clutches

The Orinoco crocodile, Crocodylus intermedius, is one of the most threatened crocodile species in the world. There are now just a few wild populations remaining in Venezuela and Colombia. Excessive hunting until the 1960s and egg collecting for their local consumption decimated their numbers, and now new conservation efforts are aiming to revive their dwindling population numbers.

One such effort involved the reintroduction of one population by an international team of researchers led by Natalia Rossi Lafferriere from Columbia University, and can be found at the La Ramera lagoon at the El Frío Biological Station, Venezuela. I can’t imagine a better job than rearing endangered crocodile eggs for the purpose of reintroducing them into the wild when they were ready!

But how do you work out if reintroducing endangered species like this is a successful venture or not?

To test this, the team sampled 20 egg clutches (335 hatchling micro-crocodiles) for incubation in their laboratories, and were able to conduct genetic analysis on them in order to test to see who their fathers were. This is important as you can get a measure of genetic diversity within populations, which is a vital factor in whether or not populations have the capacity to survive. It’s probably also important to do this via genomic analysis rather than observation for what I’d think were obvious reasons.

What did they find?

Perhaps unexpectedly for humans, but quite expected for wild animals, the research team discovered that half of the egg clutches were actually fathered by more than one male! Of the 14 fathers inferred from genetic analysis, they found that only 6 contributed to a whipping 90% of the total offspring. Even more bizarrely, 3 of these 6 males fathered more than 70% of the total number of offspring. Full points for productivity to those chaps!

The evolution of females mating with multiple mating is known as polyandry, and can be achieved either through mating with multiple individuals during the same reproductive season, or actually storing sperm in the reproductive tract for later fertilisation.

This activity has rarely been observed in captive population of crocodiles, but has been documented in the wild for American alligators and the spectacled caiman, suggesting that multiple mating systems might be widespread in crocodilians and an important factor in their survival. These beasties and their ancestors have been around since a time around the origin of dinosaurs, after all!

These new results reveal the first evidence for multiple paternity in a reintroduced Orinoco crocodile population, and therefore supports the success of reintroduction efforts for this species.

Why is this important?

More than half of the living species of crocodilian are endangered, thanks to threats to habitat change, human disruption, and ongoing environmental changes. By gaining an insight into their reproductive behaviour, we can learn more about how to reintroduce these animals into the wild into sustainable populations.

In this case, multiple paternity might be important part of mating systems for increasing the overall genetic diversity in populations, as well as the total size of populations. These factors are often critical in maintaining flexibility and diversity in populations, and they play an important role in survivability at a population level, something that is becoming increasingly crucial for these endangered animals.

Other benefits of this can include sharing resources with mothers to ensure greater offspring survival, and greater selection of ‘higher quality’ mates, which is important for that well known concept of survival of the fittest. Darwin would be proud!

Successful reproduction is a vital and necessary first step in the recovery of the Orinoco crocodile. This is an excellent example of a successful reintroduction effort of a critically endangered species, and hopefully a sign that we can reverse the effects that led to their endangerment before it’s too late.

Continued conservation action will be important to mitigate ongoing threats to the Orinoco crocodile. This includes banning poaching, protecting their habitats, and will require a combined effort from governmental conservation authorities in order to create sustainable initiatives.

All is well that ends well too, and all crocodiles were released back into the wild as juveniles. Life, er, finds a way!

Earliest example of animal nest sharing revealed by scientists

An international team of scientists, including researchers from the University of Southampton, has shown that fossilised eggshells unearthed in western Romania represent the earliest known nest site shared by multiple animals.

The shells -- some complete and others broken into thousands of pieces -- are densely packed and encased in mudstone which formed part of the remains of a bird breeding colony, probably comprising hundreds of seperate nests.

Now in the collections of the Transylvanian Museum Society in Cluj Napoca, Romania, the samples date from the late-Cretaceous period (approx. 70 million years ago) and were discovered near the city of Sebeş in Transylvania by local palaeontologist Mátyás Vremir about nine years ago.

Led by Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche in Argentina, the scientists examined sophisticated electron microscope images of the unique, fossilised material from the site. They established it contains four different types of egg shell, indicating that four types of animals all shared the same nesting site; extinct birds within a group known as enantiornithes, birds of undetermined classification, gecko-like lizards and smaller predecessors of today's crocodiles.

Christian Laurent, Tizard Scholar and member of the Aerodynamics and Flight Mechanics Group at the University of Southampton, comments: "We know very little about the parental behaviour of Mesozic birds, We know they had nests, laid eggs and hatched young which were relatively mature and able to move around after hatching -- but evidence is scant beyond this. This research suggests they were tolerant of creating their nests, not only alongside other birds, but also reptiles."

The team, which also includes researchers from the University of Jinan (China), the Transylvanian Museum Society (Romania), the Royal British Columbia Museum (Canada), the University of Debrecen (Hungary), and Pavol Jozef Safarik University (Slovak Republic), has published its findings in the journal Nature Scientific Reports.

Their paper speculates that an area of plain created by seasonal flooding offered the enantiornithes safety from predators. It's also believed that their nest environments afforded shelter to smaller reptiles which benefitted from the security of the birds guarding their own nests. The researchers suggest that the lizard and crocodile type animals were not perceived as a threat to the bird eggs and nestlings -- possibly because they were much smaller than the adult birds and so not a predatory threat to them or their hatchlings. To date, this is the oldest example of this kind of ecological strategy.

Christian Laurent adds: "Evidence supporting our theory can still be seen today in Argentina, where lizards (Salvator merianae) co-habit and lay eggs inside the nests of the caiman crocodile -- safe in the knowledge that the female doesn't feed during the incubation of her eggs and poses no threat to the hatchling lizards."