Crocodiles are one of the fearless and scary creatures in the forest. They are included in the list of carnivore animals that love to eat and kill small and vulnerable animals. However, like every animal in the forest, crocodiles still have weaknesses even though they seem strong and cannot be killed. One of the weaknesses of crocodiles people think is being slow over land. But, do crocodiles move slowly over land?
Do crocodiles move slowly over land? Crocodiles are not slow over land but they are also not that fast. They can manage to walk and run over the land but not as fast as lions and tigers. The speed of crocodiles over land is enough to catch their certain prey that is on the land. However, humans should not be afraid of crocodiles because humans can outrun crocodiles over land.
Today, we will talk about crocodiles and how they run, walk, and move on the land. Also, we will tell you and validate to you if crocodiles can beat humans in running and how fast do different crocodiles run. You will learn a lot of new information about crocodiles. So, if you are ready to learn more about crocodiles, let us proceed.
How Fast Can Crocodiles Run On Land?
A normal crocodile runs at 12 km/h on their bellies when they are around swamps and muddy banks. However, some crocs have been measured exceeding 17 km/h when they run on the land. But they can only run at these speeds for short distances, unlike cheetahs.
Some sources said that some crocodiles can reach a maximum of 30 km/h. However, this is somehow a myth and no crocodile has ever been scientifically measured at such an insane speed.
Like any other measurement, we have to keep in mind the running conditions, like where the crocodile is running, what type of crocodile it is, and the age of the crocodile as well.
How Fast Can Crocodiles Walk On Land?
When crocodiles walk on the land, they hold themselves high on all four legs. When crocodiles move quickly into the water, from a bank, crocodiles slide on their bellies and push themselves forward with their feet.
So, if crocodiles can run up to 17 km/h, then crocodiles walk less than 17 km/h on land. Crocodiles walk 10-12 km/h on land, which is slower than swimming in the lake.
How Do Crocodiles Move On Land?
When crocodiles walk on land, crocodiles hold themselves on all four legs. But if crocodiles are moving quickly into the water from a bank, crocodiles slide their big bellies to push themselves forward with their feet. Crocodiles are also capable of galloping short distances.
Can Crocodiles Beat Humans In Running?
The answer to this question is maybe. Some crocodiles will attempt to chase a human. The agility and speed of crocodiles are dependent on their tail and body, which only works best under the water.
It depends on the human if he/she can outrun the crocodile. The fastest man alive, Usain Bolt, can run up to a maximum of 45 km/h. In a sense, humans can outrun a hungry crocodile. However, how fast can you run?
Some Crocodiles Run At Different Speeds
There are lots of species of crocodiles in the world and they fall into two categories, saltwater and freshwater crocodiles.
Nile crocodiles and saltwater crocodiles are the fastest species of crocodiles. Those crocodiles can run up to 17-20 km/h. However, even though they run faster than other crocodiles, all crocodiles can only run at their top speed for short distances.
Final Words
To conclude, crocodiles move somehow slow compared to other animals like lions and cheetahs over land. The reason why is because crocodiles have short feet and big bellies. Crocodiles can only be fast in the water. Even though crocodiles can be scary because of their big mouths, they also have weakness, which is walking and running on the land.
