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Crocodile survives after losing half of its jaws

AmericaThe 2.7-meter-long crocodile living in the Everglades marshes seems to be functioning normally despite losing most of its upper jaw.





The crocodile can be bitten half of its jaw by its fellow in a dramatic battle.  Photo: Stacey Lynette

The crocodile can be bitten half of its jaw by its fellow in a dramatic battle. Image: Stacey Lynette

Stacey Lynette, a resident of Florida, shared a photo of a special alligator swimming in the water with his lower teeth protruding where the upper jaw should have been. According to Lynette, despite its strange appearance, the alligator appeared to be fine.

About 1.3 million short-snouted alligators live in Florida, distributed across 67 counties. They can be up to 4.6 m long and weigh more than 544 kg, reaching a lifespan of 30 – 50 years in the wild. Hunting alligators is legal in the state of Florida. Crocodiles are very good at healing themselves. They are one of the few terrestrial vertebrates that can regrow a tail appendage. Of course, the crocodile in Lynette’s photo can’t regrow all of its teeth, but the ability to heal itself certainly prevents it from bleeding to death after the accident.

Crocodiles often compete for mating rights and territory, especially during the breeding season. Violent fights can occur during this period of heightened tension and they can cause severe injuries to opponents such as broken legs or damaged eyes. It is possible that the crocodile lost its upper jaw in such a fight.

The main reason many people fear short-snout crocodiles is their sharp teeth. They are at the top of the food chain, using their jaws containing more than 80 teeth to take down their prey. They are famous for their bite force among the strongest in the animal world. The maximum bite force ever recorded in this species is more than 13,000 N. Catching prey with half a jaw can be difficult for the crocodile. It can survive on small prey such as invertebrates, fish, turtles, amphibians and even fruit.

An Khang (According to Newsweek)

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