Focus - Croc Attack Edition

I blame my sister. I could blame myself for being bitten by a Crocodile but she should have known that I was in the Crocodile pit and doing a reptile demonstration when she called. I guess I should have turned the ringer off but with Crocodile in hand, Tiffany's ringtone began playing.

Embarrassed by the distraction I took one hand off the beast and while holding it by it's tail attempted to turn the ringer off. Crocodiles have an extra vertebrae in their neck and have more flexibility than alligators. Holding it by the tail was not a good idea and the agressive monster whipped around and chomped me on the hand leaving 2 tooth marks and a V-shaped cut from knuckle to knuckle.

Fortunately the croc that bit me was not one of the 11 footers pictured above and below. These two reside in Flamingo in the Everglades National Park.

They have sharp teeth and one the most powerful bites of any animal in the world with well over 2000 lbs of pressure per square inch when they bite.

I was chomped by Mean Joe Green - a nearly 2 year old and 2 foot long American Crocodile. It has sharp teeth which broke the skin but not a powerful bite. Yet. I'll survive.

The bigger issue with gator and croc bites is infection. I cleaned it well and the wound will not even leave a scar. When handling reptiles of any sort. Turn your phone off and focus.

What a Croc

Where the hell have I been? I've been badgered with demands for a new post and I have a very good reason for being delinquent. I was bitten by a crocodile. While this is 100% true. It's not the reason for for my absence. I'll get to that eventually.

The crocodile in question is a 2-foot monster. Snaggle-toothed, wiry, mean and nasty. He's an educational animal we have on display and although he's still a youngling...he's not to be trifled with. Like Alligators, Crocodiles have 80 teeth and when they are young, the teeth are sharp. The tour today involved a reptile demonstration in which I typically climb into the reptile pit, chase the alligator around a fig tree while rats snakes lunge at me from their perches and finally, with both reptile and myself exhausted capture the beast for display. I normally leave the crocodile alone. He's mean and snaps at me and it makes for a good show to see a grown man terrified of this small creature. I'm the coward version of Steve Irwin.

Today the boss was nice enough to extract both alligator and crocodile and leave them in an aquarium outside the reptile pit. This was in theory intended to make my life easier, but upon reaching into the 5 gallon tank to retrieve the far more pleasant alligator, the croc whipped about and snapped my finger. Without hesitation I plucked the gator from the tank, covered the bleeding finger and went on with the show. It was really no big deal.

The Everglades is the only place in the world where you can find Alligators and Crocodiles coexisting in the wild.

How to tell them apart?

American Alligators
-have tongues
-have a U-shaped nose
-mothers take care of their young up to 3 years
-prefer fresh water
-have black and yellow banding as young
-can not excrete salt water
-have a population of 1.5 million + in Florida
-are on the threatened list
-eggs that are incubated at 94 degrees and higher will be males and below will be females.

Alligator above - Crocodile below

American Crocodiles
-have no tongue
-have V-shaped noses
-have teeth that point up and down when the jaw is closed
-prefer salt or brackish water
-mothers don't take care of young
-have olive green and black banding as young
-can excrete salt
-have a population of 2000+ in Florida
-are on the endangered species list
-eggs that are incubated at 94 degrees or higher will be females and below will be males

Both have 80 teeth, need to maintain their body temperature by basking in the sun and when left alone have a shy disposition and will normally avoid humans. They can't interbreed. (edit -after rereading I've noticed how suggestive this sounds - of course mean Alligators and Crocodiles can't interbreed!)

The only crocodiles I have seen in the wild were in Flamingo in the Everglades National Park. They were each an estimated 12 feet in length. We were very close. Maybe too close. People are not on their menu but you still need to be safe.

(a picture for Pia circa 2005)