Some Crocodiles Species Climb Trees: Herpetology Notes

Some Crocodiles Species Climb Trees: Herpetology Notes

First ever study conducted by Vladimir Dinets, a research assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville Department of Psychology, throws light on tree climbing and basking behaviors of crocodiles.

After studying behavior of crocodile species from three continents, Australia, Africa and North America, researchers found that four species of crocodiles climbed trees. The height to which crocodile species climbs up depends on the size of the animal, said Dinets and his colleagues.

Small crocodiles climbed higher than larger ones, whereas some species climbed a height of four meters high a tree and five meters down a branch. The tree climbing and basking behaviors of crocodiles depends on two conditions; one is to maintain their body temperature within certain limits and to survey their habitat. The crocodiles climb trees to improve their site surveillance so as to check for any potential threats and prey.

Despite not having any obvious morphological adaptations to climb trees, it has been reported that at least some species of crocodiles have the capability to climb trees. The research published in the journal Herpetology Notes states that crocodiles use their lures like sticks to hunt their prey.

Researchers cited an example of a crocodile cousin, the American alligator, which they found climbing a tree of height four to six feet above the water at the Pearl River Delta in Mississippi.


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