Re: How do salt-water crocodiles and sharks coexist together ?

G'day Scotty

Salt water crocs are pretty mean! In fact, a salt water crocodile is the 
*only* living animal that considers people to be on the menu. Given the 
chance, they'll grab you from the river bank and drown you; and eat you 
later.

Across Northern Australia, crocs do move out of rivers and into the sea 
for a few different reasons. Naturally, the croc may encounter sharks of 
different species and sizes, but it is unlikely that either would engage 
in "war". Sharks are attracted to blood in the water, and tend to take on 
easy targets. Crocodiles also prefer  easy targets, and because they can 
slow their metabolism right down, if conditions or prey is not "just 
right", they'll kick back and wait for better pickings tomorrow...or the 
next day; or even the next month. There's never any hurry to eat being a 
crocodile.

However, if, by chance, a large tiger shark and a large crocodile did have 
a go at each other, I guess I'd still put my money on the croc.  Having 
worked with crocs, I reckon the crocodile has better resources at its 
disposal. But it difficult to decide. Crocs are ambush predators (ie. sit 
and wait for an attack), sharks are opportunist predators that charge at 
targets.

Sorry that I haven't answered your question directly. Crocodiles and 
sharks can occaisionaly move into each other's territory. But they are 
only visitors to each other's area and don't really "co-exist", as such.
It is VERY unlikely that similar sized, healthy animals would take each 
other on, and even harder to predict the outcome. Big, male crocs (bulls) 
don't tolerate other male crocs in their areas and will often fight really 
really hard. But I think a large male croc would hardly bother with a 
shark entering his territory. Sharks, on the other hand, are much less 
territorial, and I doubt that they would seek to evict a travelling 
crocodile.

Hope this helps.

cheers,

Alastair