| One of the largest reptiles on the earth today, the crocodile is also one of the most ferocious. It swallows many small animals whole but will also attack humans and other large animals, often batting them with its tail into a nearby pool of water to make them easier to capture. Crocodiles can close off their nasal passages in the water, allowing them to seize food without drowning. They are immensely strong and may dismember larger prey by simply twisting it to death in the water. The crocodile of the Nile, Crocodilus niloticus, pictured here, is one of the best known of the 12 species of crocodile. |