9781422278642

CHAPTER 2

Come on in, the water’s fine!

CROCODILES

What looks like a sunken branch and has eyes, ears and a nose? If you don’t know the answer, you’re in trouble! When hunting, crocodiles hide in shallow water with only their nostrils, ears and eyes poking out.This allows them to detect approaching prey while remaining hidden. Crocs can look like bits of rotting timber—until they suddenly launch themselves at lunch.They can rush several yards (meters) to snap at prey. Pray that it isn’t you!

It’s like a spa in here!

Australia has the highest river densities of saltwater crocodiles in the world. Considering this, the number of deaths isn’t as high as you might expect. There have been 99 attacks on people since 1971 and only about a quarter of these were fatal.

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