Crocodiles who surf? What’s next, Tyrannosaurs in F-14s?
Unfortunately for people who like awesome things, the report from a team of Australian scientists finds that saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) surf for business, not pleasure.
According to Yahoo! News, the scientists had long speculated how the crocodiles — which lack the same aptitude for swimming that they have for killing — wound up on the far-flung up islands of the South Pacific. Using sonar and satellites, the team (which included the late crocodile hunter Steve Irwin) found that the deadly beasts hitch rides on surface ocean currents as they travel from island to island in search of fresh meat.
The brutes were found to be as smart as they are dangerous, often waiting for favorable currents before embarking on their campaigns of terror across the high seas. One male crocodile, a 15-foot-long engine of death, was tracked by scientists as he rode the strong waves in the Torres Straight to travel 255 miles in only 20 days.
Yahoo! also reminds us that the saltwater crocodile can grow to be 23 feet long and has been known to eat sharks for breakfast. Stay vigilant, readers.
