Eerie crocodile ‘tactic’ in viral video debunked by experts

Borneo: A viral video showing a crocodile rolling on its back has sparked wild theories. Some folks thought it was trying to lure people into the water by pretending to drown. Sounds crazy, right?

But experts are shaking their heads. They say this idea is just not true. The crocodile was likely just acting weird because it had something in its mouth. Brandon Sideleau, a researcher, explained that he’s seen similar behavior before. It’s probably just a croc with a snack!

In Indonesia, saltwater crocodiles are responsible for about 100 human deaths each year. That’s a lot, especially since there aren’t as many crocs there compared to Australia. But the truth is, these reptiles are smarter than we think. They’re not out there trying to mimic drowning humans.

Professor Graham Webb, another expert, agreed that the whole drowning theory is just a wild story. He suggested the croc might have been stuck or had its tail caught, which made it act all flaily.

Australia has around 200,000 crocodiles, but the number of attacks is pretty low. In poorer countries, though, people rely heavily on water for everything, which leads to more encounters with crocs. It’s a tough situation.

Brandon pointed out that in places like Papua New Guinea, people do everything in the water. They bathe, collect water, and fish all in the same spot. This makes them more vulnerable to attacks.

The video has gone viral, racking up over 50 million views. But misinformation like this can be dangerous. If people start believing these wild stories, it could mess with how we manage crocodile populations.

So, while the video might be entertaining, let’s not jump to conclusions. Crocodiles are fascinating creatures, and we need to understand them better.