Saltwater Crocodile vs Great White Shark

[Ceratodromeus]

There is a laughably fake account of a SW croc supposedly killing a GWS in Australia.

I'm really surprised it made the rounds for so long. The photoshop is just terrible

[dinosauria101]

Don't we also have an account of Brutus the saltie eating a bull shark?

[Ceratodromeus]

Dec 31, 2019 0:07:34 GMT 5 dinosauria101 said:

Don't we also have an account of Brutus the saltie eating a bull shark?

That shark looks pretty young to me 

[dinosauria101]

^Yep, that is what the account says, and salties are several times bigger than bull sharks. That was just on the note of croc-shark interactions.

[Bujang Senang]

Nov 26, 2019 1:24:48 GMT 5 elosha11 said:

I don't think we have a separate sharks/crocodiles interaction thread but this is very interesting and cuts back against the notion that bull sharks are always afraid of large crocs. Here's this MUCH smaller bull shark attacking and scaring a much larger croc (likely hoping the croc would drop its fish meal) and doing it easily with speed and stealth. The croc appeared completely unaware of the shark's presence. Now imagine a great white shark 2-3 times heavier than the croc, hitting it underwater like this. There's no reason to believe this wouldn't be a common predatory interaction if the GWS decided to feed on the croc, and the results, for the croc, would not be pretty.

"Scared"? Really? In such situation croc physically cannot aggressively snaps at shark without risking losing its meal. If the crocodile's jaws would be free, we would observe something like this:



The best way for croc to protect prey from shark is to quickly reach the shore. Otherwise, the shark can take the prey when crocodile aggressively snapped at it. In accounts where crocodiles and sharks feed together on sea turtles you will never see crocodiles trying to scare off sharks for this reason:



You also have no evidence that the crocodile did not detect the presence of a shark before it approached its tail. Moreover, you do not take into account that a larger shark will create more water vibrations than a smaller one.
There is no reason to think that the small shark should somehow interest the crocodile, which already has prey. It seems that crocodiles do not see a threat even in larger sharks. It was not possible for sharks to go unnoticed in these cases:


Here, the tiger shark seems to submitted and swim away after short encounter with sub-adult saltie, which remained completely calm as shark approached:

The small Nile crocodile is completely not worried about a larger bull shark and a bit bigger croc is trying to take it:

Crocs drive off sharks when sharks pose a real threat (trying to bite, etc.) as well as in random encounters and when the prey is too big for the sharks to drag it away from croc.
You can also see how crocodiles, sharks and other similar predators chases each other during group feeding, when one takes food with jaws and others try to steals it:

Among more social crocodilian species such as Nile crocodiles, it is common even for a small female to try to get food from the jaws of a large dominant male, and the latter can only swims away to protect food.
3:00

Does this mean that they "scares" each other with surprise or that it is just the most optimal behavior to protect prey when the jaws is not available for use? "Scared" crocodiles stop feeding activities to protect themselves, they do not feed in stressful situations (unlike, for example, monitor lizards), but the crocodile in this video, on the contrary, tried to eat fish as quickly as possible.

More interesting thing is the behavior of the bull shark on this video. Why did the shark come too close to a larger predator that could easily take it as prey? Lemon sharks and bull sharks are known to avoid crocodiles by smell, but there is no evidence that they avoid the visual sights of crocodiles (in muddy water is not effective method to avoid a crocodile):

(they also got the same reaction with a group of large adult bull sharks).

Perhaps the most encouraging area of shark repellency research is in the study of semiochemistry. This area of research was first proposed by Rasmussen & Schmidt (1992) who suggested that sharks may be chemically aware of the presence of potential danger by sensing the bodily secretions from potential predators. Semiochemicals found in the bodily secretions of predators may convey survival information to a shark and elicit rapid flight from an area that is potentially dangerous. Rasmussen & Schmidt (op. cit.) hypothesized that lemon sharks, especially juveniles, inherently recognize chemical exudates produced by the American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus, a known predator of sharks.

Joseph A. Sisneros & Donald R. Nelson. (2003), "Surfactants as chemical shark repellents: past, present, and future".

Thus, when a crocodile does not secrete odorous substances from mandibular glands it may not cause much fear in sharks. This could allow the bull shark to come closer to study an unusual object/go for the fish in the jaws of a crocodile.

---

Now, regarding the size of both animals. 4+ meter males are definitely rarer in the most saltwater crocodile populations than 4+ meter females in most great white shark populations. Also, crocodiles become sexually mature with a shorter total length. But in general saltwater crocs is much more numerous than great whites, they reproduction rates is much higher as well as mortality of smaller specimens due to predation (hatchlings of salties are much smaller than the newborns of great whites) and then cannibalism, etc. Wood (1939) stated that the average male saltwater crocodile measure 4.26-4.87 m and weights 408-521 kg. It is unclear what he meant by "average". Therefore, I prefer to go with data of Webb and Manolis from book "Australian Crocodiles A Natural History":


A typical length at which male saltwater crocodiles stop growing is 4.6–5.2 m. The mass at this length will be close to 448 kg and 660 kg respectively. The “average” Great white shark female is definitely more massive. But not two or three times heavier. Wood (1939) stated that the average great white shark female measures 4.3-4.6 m and weights 520-770 kg. Discovery website goes with 4-4.9 meters and 680-1100 kg and National Geographic website goes with 4.6 meters. Thus, great white shark on average only 1/3 heavier than the saltwater crocodile, not twice. And at the maximum too, although it is difficult to find verified size records. Based on many sources the largest verified great white shark is a 6.1 m female caught at Prince Edward Island. You can calculate the weight of this shark based on all the regressions mentioned by theropod here:

theworldofanimals.proboards.com/thread/146/saltwater-crocodile-great-white-shark?page=10

I go with formula from Tricas and McCosker (1984) and get 2257 kg:


I noticed that shark fans like to mention extremely heavy sharks weighing more than 2 tons with a length of 5-6 meters. Do you really think that extra weight from fat or embryos will increase the shark's chances against badass supercroc such as Bujang Senang?

Various scientific sources agree that the maximum verified length of the saltwater crocodile is 6.3 or 6.7 meters for specimen drowned in Fly River in Papua New Guinea in 1983. This individual is known from dried skin and skull, which together give a length of 6.2 meters. But since the dried skin underestimates the real length, estimates of the real length of this crocodile varies very much. I will go with the conservative 6.3 meters suggested by Adam Britton: crocodilian.com/cnhc/cbd-faq-q2.htm The weight of this specimen can be estimated at 1211 kg. The larger crocodiles is known based on skulls, see Britton et al. (2012):


In addition, there is a bit shorter but wider skull named Edgar at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in Singapore which as stated comes (and more than fits) from a 6.7 m crocodile (Fukuda et al., 2019). 6.7-meter crocodile can weigh more than 1471 kg.

---

Well, now I have to say that I don’t see any chances for the great white shark to win this fight more often than not, neither on average nor in maximum sizes, and even nor with 2-fold mass superiority. Of course, I'm talking about the fight in the deep water (in shallow muddy water it will be closer to the predator-prey match, because the shark loses all its advantages). Mature dominant crocs are just another level of fight capability. Just read about supercrocs such as Gustave or Bujang Senang to understood what large and experienced crocodiles are capable of. They are not only strong enough to kill a hippo (one of the most difficult opponents for any crocodile) or overpower a buffalo bull/gaur/black rhino/giraffe/prize Suffolk stallion, but also pugnacious enough to regularly engage in fights with each other/take on other large predators as well as smart enough to deal with many armed hunters and solders.

But what about sharks...? They never show anything like that. Yes, sometimes great whites can take on the large prey such as Northern elephant seals and beaked whales. But, they do it much less often than crocs despite its larger size. I can easy show more direct cases of crocodiles killing black rhinos than any shark fan can show me direct cases of shark killings large dominant males of Northern elephant seals (in which fat occupies ~40% of the body mass during the breeding season, this fat is necessary for elephant seals to survive for a long time without food and without this extra weight adult males of Northern elephant seals are actually only buffalo-sized animals). Further, while crocodiles kill large mammals with brute force, great white sharks always killing their prey due to the fact that seals and whales have a very vulnerable body (seagulls can pierce the skin of large whales to eat their blubber, while the skin of terrestrial mammals such as zebras and cows is difficult to pierce even for vultures with their specialized powerful beaks) and very vulnerable to blood loss caused by shark teeth.

And yes, crocodiles have much more deadly bites against sharks than sharks against crocodiles. Crocs capable of both tearing the flesh and crushing bones (and especially soft shark cartilage), while shark jaws cause serious wounds only to soft-skinned fatty marine mammals, but crocodiles have strong skin, muscular body and are very resistant to blood loss. I see that many users here underestimate the damage that crocodiles can do with their jaws:














One man here was shocked by the enormous 5.64-m girth of a one 6-meter great white shark, but if we read the story of this supersized shark, we find that it just cannot be compared with large crocodiles…

This shark was dispatched by a ship spade from a 3-meter boat! Can you imagine a man approaching free feeding Gustave, Lolong or Bujang Senang on a small boat and dispatching it with melee weapon? It is just suicide which will always go according to such scenario:

A French plantation owner had seen it attack a horse and rider crossing the river where it lived. They escaped when the croc’s jaws closed on the saddle and tore it off the horse’s back. The rider, a shepherd, drew his cutlass and waited in shallow water for the animal, despite advice to the contrary. After absorbing the man’s blows with the sword, Mugger grabbed him by the leg and dragged him to his death.

news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2001/07/warm-fuzzy-weird-funny-the-museums-of-natural-history-spin-some-tall-tales/
(in fact, this crocodile has a skull smaller than that of Lolong, it cannot be 27-30 feet)

Sharks are resistant to injury, but their bodies are really vulnerable for brute force. If a man was able to kill a 6-meter great white with ship spade before shark could swim away, 6-meter croc will just smash head, fins or tail of a 6-meter shark in one bite.

I'm not really sure that the large great white sharks are really strong, perhaps a more interesting match would be small shark vs small croc rather than “fight of giants”. Dietary studies from South Africa shows that, unlike 3.1-3.5-meter sharks, which prey mainly on young seals (Fallows et al., 2012), large 5+ meter individuals feed in offshore area where the main food items are represented by small prey such as bony fishes and cephalopods as well as carcasses of dead whales (Hussey et al., 2012; Fallows et al., 2013). Although Great white sharks in general are far less specialized on marine mammals, as is commonly believed...

www.researchgate.net/publication/256095622_Investigatory_Behavior_towards_surface_objects_and_Non-consumptive_Strikes_on_Seabirds_by_White_Sharks_Carcharodon_carcharias_at_Seal_Island_South_Africa_1997-2010

Maximum burst swimming speeds recorded for 5.5 meter great white sharks (21.6-25.2 km/h, Ferrón, 2017) are also significantly lower than maximum speeds recorded for 3.4-3.5-meter ones (34.92-42.84 km/h, Ferrón, 2017), and even lower than the maximum speeds recorded for crocodiles (24-29 km/h according to Benga et al., 2014, or even 32 km/h according to Auerbach et al., 2016). I see that the only argument that a shark is faster and/or more agile than a crocodile is that "shark is fish and live in ocean" or "shark can catch a seal", lol. But in fact, crocodiles are known as active predators of fast-moving fishes in open waters (Cott, 1961), can support higher cruising speed than many sharks (4.5-meter saltie can support cruising speed of about 6.3 km/h according to Grigg, 2015) and also take some marine mammals such as dugongs and dolphins (Spain et al., 1977; Falcón-Matos et al., 2003; Adame et al., 2018). On this video you can see black caiman holding a river dolphin in open waters:

Therefore, I am sure that if the strongest saltwater crocodile and the strongest great white shark go face to face, then the crocodile will definitely win. And I don’t understand how you can discuss the fight in weight parity, having many accounts of crocodiles killing large sharks.

[dinosauria101]

Bujang Senang

You do realize the size disparity here, correct? On average this is a ~500 kg croc vs 1 tonne shark, and at max a ~1.075 tonne croc vs 2.5 tonne shark. I could certainly understand favoring the crocodile at parity or similar sizes but here the size disparity is too much.

[elosha11]

Bujang Senang, were you benko2015 on the old carnivora thread? You write very similarly. In any event, here's pretty much the extent of what we have for great white interactions with large crocodiles, as mentioned multiple times earlier in this thread. Runs pretty counter to your theories.

Tiger sharks – which commonly patrol coastal waterways – could pose a threat to any croc, given their large size, robust serrated teeth (which can saw through a sea-turtle shell like nobody's business), and up-for-anything predatory habits. So could, of course, the more massive great white shark, which grows to similar lengths as Indo-Pacific or Nile crocodiles and can substantially outweigh them. There are records of white sharks preying on adult American crocodiles in the Columbian Caribbean.

www.earthtouchnews.com/natural-world/animal-behaviour/when-crocodiles-go-to-sea/

However, Great White Sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) prey upon adult C. acutus in Colombia (Medem,1981), and large sharks may kill subadult and adult crocodilians in other areas (Webb andMessel, 1977).

The Role of Predation in Shaping Crocodilian Natural History, Dec. 2013.

www.researchgate.net/publication/259450979_The_Role_of_Predation_in_Shaping_Crocodilian_Natural_History


Also this source quotes Medem more specifically, stating that white sharks fatally attacking adult American crocs off Isla Fuerte, Columbia, was "not uncommon in the past." See p. 254.

books.google.com/books?id=97oE6gTFW8EC&pg=PA28&lpg=PA28&dq=Medem,+F.+1981.+Los+crocodylia+de+Sur+America,Volume+1,+Los+Crocodylia+de+Colombia.+Colciencias,Colombia&source=bl&ots=f20qB3SpsH&sig=ACfU3U0R2odv26M4Oo6tQZcIe7Bvw_IW4g&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjAlrXoh-7mAhXLdN8KHcU7DsoQ6AEwAnoECAYQAg#v=onepage&q=shark&f=false

[Grey]

It appears that white sharks have all distinct individual personalities.

This could have an impact on the potential interactions.

Some individuals are maybe more vindicative and agressive depending on various factors. The agression factor cannot be underestimated.

[dinosauria101]

Jan 6, 2020 12:22:38 GMT 5 Grey said:

The agression factor cannot be underestimated.

Definitely.

I think an aggressive saltie against an average or docile GWS would probably be about 6.5-7/10 in favor of the GWS on average and about the same in favor of the croc at parity. On the other hand a docile saltie is absolutely toast.

[Grey]

Is there a salty that could engage something like Deep Blue is THE interesting question IMO.

[dinosauria101]

If - and this is a big IF - the Orissa saltie was really 7 meters and 2 tonnes, that would make for a close and interesting match with Deep Blue - maybe 6/10 for DB.

[Ceratodromeus]

That buffalo picture is gnarly. I've seen a mugger tear a buffalos leg off, but never facial mutilation like that.

[kekistani]

Jan 6, 2020 18:33:30 GMT 5 dinosauria101 said:

If - and this is a big IF - the Orissa saltie was really 7 meters and 2 tonnes, that would make for a close and interesting match with Deep Blue - maybe 6/10 for DB.

What about Kris?

[Bujang Senang]

Jan 6, 2020 8:53:54 GMT 5 elosha11 said:

Bujang Senang, were you benko2015 on the old carnivora thread? You write very similarly. In any event, here's pretty much the extent of what we have for great white interactions with large crocodiles, as mentioned multiple times earlier in this thread. Runs pretty counter to your theories.

Tiger sharks – which commonly patrol coastal waterways – could pose a threat to any croc, given their large size, robust serrated teeth (which can saw through a sea-turtle shell like nobody's business), and up-for-anything predatory habits. So could, of course, the more massive great white shark, which grows to similar lengths as Indo-Pacific or Nile crocodiles and can substantially outweigh them. There are records of white sharks preying on adult American crocodiles in the Columbian Caribbean.

www.earthtouchnews.com/natural-world/animal-behaviour/when-crocodiles-go-to-sea/

However, Great White Sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) prey upon adult C. acutus in Colombia (Medem,1981), and large sharks may kill subadult and adult crocodilians in other areas (Webb and Messel, 1977).

The Role of Predation in Shaping Crocodilian Natural History, Dec. 2013.

www.researchgate.net/publication/259450979_The_Role_of_Predation_in_Shaping_Crocodilian_Natural_History


Also this source quotes Medem more specifically, stating that white sharks fatally attacking adult American crocs off Isla Fuerte, Columbia, was "not uncommon in the past." See p. 254.

books.google.com/books?id=97oE6gTFW8EC&pg=PA28&lpg=PA28&dq=Medem,+F.+1981.+Los+crocodylia+de+Sur+America,Volume+1,+Los+Crocodylia+de+Colombia.+Colciencias,Colombia&source=bl&ots=f20qB3SpsH&sig=ACfU3U0R2odv26M4Oo6tQZcIe7Bvw_IW4g&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjAlrXoh-7mAhXLdN8KHcU7DsoQ6AEwAnoECAYQAg#v=onepage&q=shark&f=false

All these things is the same account coming from Medem (1981), "Los crocodylia de Sur America, Volume 1, Los Crocodylia de Colombia. Colciencias, Colombia". This is the original text:

It can be roughly translated as:

The only enemies of adult crocodiles are the “tiger” (Panthera onca) and various sharks, especially the “white shark” (Carcharodon carcharias), which abound around Fuerte Island.

...

According to local residents, quite often great white sharks attacked crocodiles at sea 20 to 200 meters from the coast, and for this reason they could not migrate to the mainland (8 km) or vice versa.

Firstly, this account is based on words of local residents, and when accepting it you should also accept similar anecdotal accounts of crocodiles killing large macropredatory sharks (e.g. account of "megalania" killing great white shark). Secondly, you can see that Medem originally did not mention that attacked American crocodiles were adults, and even that these attacks were fatal. Finally, you really think that American crocs from Fuerte island can be compared with salties in size, aggression and macropredatory abilities? Given that the C. acutus in a costal habitat of Belize as well as in Florida have a small adult size compared to really "large" crocodilians (the average weight of adult C. acutus in Belize is only 77.8 kg according Platt et al., 2011), I very much doubt in any analogies here. Maybe lemon and bull sharks would be a better opponents for such crocodiles, although here (according to the sharks reaction on crocs smell) crocodiles have an advantage... Also, I think the relevant question here is why do a large number of great white sharks near a small island in warm waters?

...And now I will post accounts that are confirming my theories.

Let's start with anecdotal accounts known from local words:


Thai guide says that saltwater crocodiles are known to kill sharks larger than themselves: ibigdan.livejournal.com/9703691.html

I do not know how reliable this person is, but I have not seen these accounts anywhere else:

A. C. Pooley reports about predation by Crocodylus niloticus on Carcharhinus leucas.

Whitfield and Blaber (1979) write:

"Crocodiles at St. Lucia have been recorded feeding on the following fish species: riverbream (Acanthopagrus berda), kob (Argyrosomus hololepidotus), sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus), striped mullet (Mugil cephalus), pike conger (Muraenesox bagio), spotted grunter (Pomadasys commersonni), Zambezi shark (Carcharhinus leucas) and lesser guitarfish (Rhinobatus annulatus) (Dunsterville, 1968; A. C. Pooley, pers. comm.)."

Whitfield, A.K. and S.J.M. Blaber, 1979. "Predation on striped mullet (Mugil cephalus) by Crocodylus niloticus at St. Lucia, South Africa".



The following observation, which also reported by Pooley (pers. comm.), describes successful attack by adult (~370 cm TL, originally reported as "young") Crocodylus niloticus on large (~300 cm TL) Carcharhinus leucas. This incident also casually mentions Cott (1961) as “fight between a crocodile and a shark was once witnessed in mouth of the estuary”.

In India unknown local newspaper (and unknown author) in 1875 published article which describes aggressive interactions that was observed by "some famous naturalist". This observation describes as crocodile (most likely Crocodylus palustris) fought with several similar-sized sharks (most likely Carcharinus leucas) over cow carcass in the lower reaches of Ganges. Final result unkown, becouse carcass was carried away by the river. But is claimed that crocodile suddenly rushed to sharks that approaching too close, biting and pushed predatory fishes away. At least three sharks were seriously injured and probably died (मगरमच्छ ... शार्क).

(Sankhala, pers. comm.)

www.quora.com/I-have-heard-that-there-are-some-estuaries-in-India-where-salt-water-crocodiles-fight-with-sharks-Who-generally-wins-these-encounters

Saltwater Crocs Along Australia's Cape York Peninsula that juts toward Papua New Guinea, there's a cautionary saying among divers and boaters: “Don't worry about the tiger sharks, the saltwater crocs ate them.”

www.pinterest.ru/pin/372532200402254680/


news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2293&dat=19380227&id=KgtKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PyENAAAAIBAJ&pg=5616,818206&hl=ru
8-feet American croc had a good fight with "very large" shark and seems to have prevailed (the shark was turned on its back):


books.google.ru/books?id=fjhGAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA115&dq=fight+between+alligator+and+shark&hl=ru&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj7697-h8HRAhVBCywKHYBwA-UQ6AEIIzAB#v=onepage&q=fight%20between%20alligator%20and%20shark&f=false

There is no data on the size and species of shark, but in this context they most likely had in mind the remains of a quite formidable shark:

Shoals of black bass left the fresh water streams and appeared at Jupiter. Solid acres of salt-water fishes piled themselves into the bight of the inlet, and fought for the sea-water that oozed through the sand at high tide. The alligators of the Everglades got wind of what was going on. They came down the Allokehatchie and Lakeworth Creek in scores, and attacked the fish dammed in the bight. The slaughter was astonishing. The water turned to blood, and was carpeted with dead fish. The alligators were reinforced until their number was estimated at five hundred. They gorged themselves with fish, and dosed away for days on the hot sand beneath the scorching rays of the sun. The beach was black with their mailed bodies. At night their muttered thunder fairly shook the foundation of the lighthouse. One day a north wind arose. It gathered in strength day by day, until its fury was that of a gale. It began to back up the water in the inlet. Rain fell, and the water increased in depth. The wind shifted to the north-west. A high neap-tide followed. As it began to fall a thread of fresh water found its way over the sandy barrier. Within twenty minutes the dam was burst, and the pent-up waters were roaring and rushing to the sea. The army of alligators was caught in the flood and carried outside. A terrific fight ensued. The neap-tide had brought hundreds of enormous sharks to the coast. They scented the fresh water, and made for the inlet. Frantic after their enforced fasting during the storm, they attacked the alligators. The noise of the combat was heard above the roar of the ocean. A son of Judge Paine, of Fort Capron, who was an eye-witness of the scene, tells me that he saw sharks and alligators rise on the crest of the waves and fight like dogs. Many of the killed floated belly upward, and were afterwards rocked ashore by the waves. For days the bodies drifted to the beach. The dead alligators had lost their heads and tails. The sharks, in some cases, were nearly bitten in two pieces. The current of the Gulf Stream strewed the shore as far north as Cape Malabar with their carcases. Clouds of buzzards, and even the Babama vultures were drawn to the beach by the offal. Mr. Paine fancies that the sharks were too active for the alligators, but others say that the percentage of bodies on the beach indicated that the weight of metal was in favour of the iron-clad reptiles.

books.google.ru/books?redir_esc=y&hl=ru&id=l9pKAQAAMAAJ&dq=the+fishing+gazette+october+5+1877+the+naturalist%27s+corner&pg=PR197&sig=ACfU3U3pvFyazXbANq7VZ5heF68yNa-rJg&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=sharks+and+alligators+rise+on+the+crest+of+the+waves+and+fight+like+dogs+#v=snippet&q=sharks%20and%20alligators%20rise%20on%20the%20crest%20of%20the%20waves%20and%20fight%20like%20dogs&f=false


monsterquestreview.blogspot.com/2009/08/monsterquest-look-at-real-dragons.html

And now, accounts from more reliable sources:

Most likely it was Sand tiger shark rather than Galeocerdo tiger shark, but drag traces on the water surface show that it was taken by approximately same-sized croc:

This was the remains of a 15 foot (4.6 м) Tiger shark; it seems that it had provided breakfast for one rather hungry saltwater crocodile! But it was too much even for that bad boy! The staff at Yellow Waters had never known a crocodile attack a shark before...

www.pinterest.ru/pin/1125968627415703/

Saltie take 1000-pound shark:

They fought for front rank as they crept over the mud and waited. Foot by foot the crocodile worked its way backwards. How it managed to drag approximately nine hundred pounds' weight of shark through the soft oozy mud I cannot tell. But it did. I saw the last gasping struggle made by the whaler as it was hauled from the water ; heard the last snapping of jaws. Then silence. The crocodile had won the unequal struggle. But its grip on the tail did not relax until the body of the captive had stiffened. There had been a foul, a complete ugliness about the fight, if such it could be called. And now, spoils to the victor! Spoils then and there going down his great gullet. I have been told that a crocodile buries its food before eating it. This one did not. It ate and ate and ate. At daybreak, I sculled to the scene. The remains of the shark had been buried in the thick evil-smelling mud. It had been a very hungry crocodile — from the tail well up forward of the dorsal fin had been eaten.

Juvenile saltie kills good-sized Carcharhinus shark with one bite:

A CLASH of the titans has taken place off a Townsville beach, with a crocodile spotted devouring a tiger shark.



The bizarre spectacle is just one of two croc sightings at the Northern Beaches within the past month.



They come as rangers prepare to launch the Newman Government's new crocodile management plan in coming months.



Department of Environment and Heritage Protection wildlife manager Mike Devery said the department received indirect reports of a crocodile eating a tiger shark at Toolakea Beach, 30km north of Townsville, in the early hours of March 13.



"A subsequent report ... advised the witness had returned to the site and the crocodile and shark carcass were gone."



The department also received a report of a 2m long crocodile in a remote area of Bluewater Creek, the second report of a croc in the creek since January.



"The animal was on the bank but slid into the water and submerged as the witness approached," Mr Devery said.



"It was not seen again."



James Cook University shark expert Dr Colin Simpfendorfer believed the tiger shark may have been dead before the crocodile decided to feast upon it.



"I don't think it's something that you would normally see happen, just as a straight predation event," Dr Simpfendorfer said.



"It's more likely that the shark was either sick or dead for that to have occurred, and it was more than likely a scavenging event, rather than a predation event."



He said it would be difficult for a saltwater crocodile to attack and kill a tiger shark at sea, unless it was a small shark.



"I would guess they would probably flee each other quite rapidly, because they don't want to interact," he said.



"Most animals, when they get into a situation, unless they know they have dominance, they would try and escape.



"They both live in habitats that aren't very similar, and tiger sharks rarely come close to shore."



Toolakea Beach resident Bodhi Ashley-Doran, 15, said he frequently spotted sharks and crocodiles off the beach, but never attacking each other.



He said a 4m crocodile had been spotted regularly on the beach earlier this year.



"There's always been crocs in the creek," he said. "I did see a shark off the beach, once eating a turtle in early March."



He said locals knew about the crocodile in Bluewater Creek, which had been seen in a freshwater area near the bridge.

www.explore-townsville.com/croc-spotted-devouring-a-tiger-shark.html

books.google.ru/books?id=9fEKAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA291&dq=and+some+individuals+have+been+known+to+attack+and+kill+sharks+close+to+their+own+size.&hl=ru&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwily9q3vuPJAhWFqXIKHXM3DPsQ6AEIHzAA#v=onepage&q=and%20some%20individuals%20have%20been%20known%20to%20attack%20and%20kill%20sharks%20close%20to%20their%20own%20size.&f=false)

[Bujang Senang]

Jan 6, 2020 18:33:30 GMT 5 dinosauria101 said:

If - and this is a big IF - the Orissa saltie was really 7 meters and 2 tonnes, that would make for a close and interesting match with Deep Blue - maybe 6/10 for DB.

As far as I know Deep Blue it's just a ~6-meter great white shark that seems to be pregnant. Without extra weight she is unlikely to weigh much more than 2 tons. Thus, the weight difference with a 7-meter crocodile will be insignificant, although I would say that a 7-meter crocodile should weigh about 1700-1800 kg rather than 2000 kg. Also, Deep Blue seems pretty docile. In any case, I did not see any aggression on her part.