It has been a while since I have posted any “animal vs. animal” thread, but the other day I got to thinking (which of course can be dangerous!)— the saltwater crocodile is an ocean going animal and could conceivably come up against a great white shark. Which animal would be likely to win such a confrontation?
Like most of these animal fights, it’s going to depend on circumstances.
Great whites and crocs have very different hunting styles and the outcome of any encounter is going to depend on who’s territory it’s taking place in. Crocs, particularly the big ones, are ambush hunters. They find somewhere that looks likely and lie down and wait for something to pass by and grab it. In contrast the shark is a fast, active predator that goes out of its way to seek prey and that can move itself into a position of advantage including, including using herding behaviour.
So if the shark wanders into a river somewhere that a croc has set itself up the money goes on the croc. The lizard gets to decide when and where to attack. If it doesn’t want an encounter it will simply lie on the bottom. With its shape and armour there is no way the shark could reasonably damage it. On the other hand if it does want to attack it will do so when the shark is at a disadvantage and when it has the best chance of getting a grip… Either the croc gets a grip and the shark then gets torn in two, or it fails. If it fails then the shark will almost certainly clear off, but if it doesn’t the croc can simply sink to the bottom and wait for another opportunity. No contest really, either the croc wins or the shark leaves, giving the lizard a default victory.
If a croc is travelling on the open ocean then it’s advantage shark, but not as clear cut as the above scenario. The shark can swim faster and is more manoeuvrable, and the croc can’t use its best defence of sinking to the bottom. On the other hand crocodiles are pretty heavily armoured. The skull is just about solid bone, and the yes are well recessed. The upper surface of the body is coated in scales that I don’t think even a shark could cut through easily. That means that the shark is going to have to get a grip on the sides or underside. I’m guessing the shark has to get lucky or make repeated passes. IN the meantime the croc has some chance of damaging the shark in return. I’d still give 5:1 on the shark though.
BTW, the chances o a saltwater croc and a great white having an encounter is pretty slim. Great whites are cold water fish, while the saltie is definitely tropical. I doubt their ranges overlap.
If you were to suggest throwing the two into a pool, I think the animal liberationists would win.
I have another suggestion. First, throw
Steve Irwin against the croc, and then, against the shark. We can make the shark and croc bigger each time untill we have a clear winner.
Well, it depends. Does the shark have a 1920’s style “Death Ray” attached to its head? Is the Saltwater Croc prepared?