Symbiotic, Predatory and Prey Relationships

The Crocodile

The crocodile is a well-known carnivore, a predator, living in Africa (alligators in South America) and eating fish, birds and mammals. They are reptiles, with thick scaly skin and hundreds of sharp teeth, and, aside from the salt-water crocodile, which lives in the sea, live in rivers. They can weigh a tonne, and have even been known to eat humans in some cases.


The Egyptian Plover and the crocodile have a very symbiotic relationship. The crocodile eats meat, and of course does not have dental floss, so bits of meat get caught between his teeth. This can cause pain, annoyance and infection. When this huge predator feels he needs his teeth brushed, he lies down with his mouth open, and waits. The Egyptian Plover, a small African bird, will recognize this as an invitation. If there is one nearby, it will fly into the crocodile's mouth and start to feed on the bits of meat lodged between his teeth. This results in benefits for both the reptile and the bird: the Plover gets a meal, and the crocodile gets a much-needed tooth-brushing session. This is an example of a symbiotic relationship, which is a relationship in which both species benefit from each other's company.

I think that if a bird flew into a croc's mouth, it would definitely eat it! And if I were the bird, I would never, ever, ever fly into this scary carnivore's mouth. But the natural world never ceases to amaze us. http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2009/03/01/symbiotic-bird-animal-relationships/

This video is a commercial, and a somewhat strange one at that, but it was the only video of a real crocodile with real plovers, and not in cartoon!