So some of you may have heard the latest bits regarding crocodiles learning to climb trees. Apparently this has been reported in the past, but never really took hold and spread in the public consciousness/media.
The crocs do it more likely to bask in the sun than to hunt though; as predominantly aquatic reptiles, though they might be able to get themselves up a tree, they’re not really equipped for lashing out and grabbing things like birds and inquisitive tourists, unless they’re willing to take the fall on the way, and I don’t see that happening. Anything with a mouth can bite, sure sure, but it’s not like crocodiles suddenly learned to do this anyway.
Here I am speaking like some biologist trying to calm down the masses from the brink of panic. Honestly, I just like animals, and the fact that I happen to be visiting Florida at the end of this week seems to be most apropos.
So here’s to some of the oldest, biggest, and most ferocious reptiles in the world. I’m grateful they’re not the saltwater variety down near Orlando.
The flash of tree-climbing crocodiles, though, brings up an interesting story-telling concept. Take it as a writing prompt, if you will, but the idea of a creature that everyone can recognize and name (the discrepancy between alligators and crocodiles notwithstanding) seemingly doing something unexpected is just a story waiting to happen. What’s next, apes being capable of language?
What unexpected animal behavior would you love to see? Better yet, what unexpected animal behavior would you write about?
Another Head Full Of Fantasy 