Night Music ~ Tom T Hall Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine

Toad Tales

Saltwater crocodile

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), also known as the estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific crocodile, marine crocodile, sea crocodile or informally as saltie, is the largest of all living reptiles, as well as the largest riparian predator in the world. Males of this species can reach sizes up to at least 6.30 m (20.7 ft) and possibly up to 7.0 m (23.0 ft) in length. However, an adult male saltwater crocodile rarely reaches and exceeds a size of 6 m (19.7 ft) weighing 1,000 to 1,200 kg (2,200–2,600 lb). Females are much smaller and often do not surpass 3 m (9.8 ft). As its name implies, this species of crocodile can live in marine environments, but usually resides in saline and brackish mangrove swamps, estuaries, deltas, lagoons, and lower stretches of rivers. They have the broadest distribution of any modern crocodile, ranging from the eastern coast of India, throughout most of Southeast Asia, and northern Australia.

The saltwater crocodile is a formidable and opportunistic hypercarnivorous apex predator. Most prey are ambushed and then drowned or swallowed whole. It is capable of prevailing over almost any animal that enters its territory, including other apex predators such as sharks, varieties of freshwater and marine fish including pelagic species, invertebrates, such as crustaceans, various reptiles, birds and mammals, including humans. Due to their size, aggression and distribution, saltwater crocodiles are regarded as the most dangerous extant crocodilian to humans.

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The saltwater crocodile has a wide snout compared to most crocodiles. However, it has a longer muzzle than the mugger crocodile; its length is twice its width at the base. The saltwater crocodile has fewer armour plates on its neck than other crocodilians. On this species, a pair of ridges runs from the eyes along the centre of the snout. The scales are oval in shape and the scutes are either small compared to other species or commonly are entirely absent. In addition, an obvious gap is also present between the cervical and dorsal shields, and small, triangular scutes are present between the posterior edges of the large, transversely arranged scutes in the dorsal shield. The relative lack of scutes is considered an asset useful to distinguish saltwater crocodiles in captivity or in illicit leather trading, as well as in the few areas in the field where sub-adult or younger saltwater crocodiles may need to be distinguished from other crocodiles. The adult saltwater crocodile's broad body contrasts with that of most other lean crocodiles, leading to early unverified assumptions the reptile was an alligator. The head is very large. The largest skull sized that could be scientifically verified was for a specimen in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle sourced to Cambodia, the skull length for this specimen was 76 cm (30 in) (female skull lengths of over 45 cm (18 in) are exceptional), with a mandibular length of 98.3 cm (38.7 in) and a maximum width across the skull (near the base) of 48 cm (19 in). The length of the specimen this came from is not known but based on skull-to-total-length ratios for very large saltwater crocodiles its length was presumably somewhere in the 7 m (23 ft 0 in) range.
 Although it is the largest overall living crocodilian and reptile, other crocodilians may have a proportionately longer skull, namely the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) and the false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii), skull lengths in the latter have been verified up to 84 cm (33 in) (the largest crocodilian skull verified for a living species), although both of these thin-snouted species have less massive skulls and considerably less massive bodies than the saltwater crocodile. The teeth are also long, with the largest teeth (the fourth tooth from the front on the lower jaw) having been measured at up to 9 cm (3.5 in) in length.  If detached from the body, the head of a very large male crocodile can reportedly weigh over 200 kg (440 lb) alone, including the large muscles and tendons at the base of the skull that lend the crocodile its massive biting strength.

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Saltwater crocodiles, even adults, can breach out of the water in upwards direction to capture food, although are most often seen to do so when enticed by bait as seen here.

In late 2008-early 2009, a handful of wild saltwater crocodiles were verified to be living within the river systems of Fraser Island, hundreds of kilometres from, and in much cooler water than, their normal Queensland range. These crocodiles did indeed migrate south to the island from northern Queensland during the warmer wet season and presumably returned to the north upon the seasonal temperature drop. Despite the surprise and shock within the Fraser Island public, this is apparently not new behaviour, and in the distant past, wild crocodiles had been reported occasionally appearing as far south as Brisbane during the warmer wet season.

Saltwater crocodiles generally spend the tropical wet season in freshwater swamps and rivers, moving downstream to estuaries in the dry season, and sometimes travelling far out to sea. Crocodiles compete fiercely with each other for territory, with dominant males in particular occupying the most eligible stretches of freshwater creeks and streams. Junior crocodiles are thus forced into the more marginal river systems and sometimes into the ocean. This explains the large distribution of the animal (ranging from the east coast of India to northern Australia), as well as its being found in the odd places on occasion (such as the Sea of Japan). Like all crocodiles, they can survive for prolonged periods only in warm temperatures, and crocodiles seasonally vacate parts of Australia if cold spells hit.

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A saltwater crocodile will usually loiter in the water or bask in the sun during much of the day, preferring to hunt at night. A study of seasonal saltwater crocodile behaviour in Australia indicated that they are more active and more likely to spend time in the water during the Australian summer; conversely, they are less active and spend relatively more time basking in the sun during the winter. Saltwater crocodiles, however, are among the most active of all crocodilians, spending more time cruising and active, especially in water. They are much less terrestrial than most species of crocodiles, spending less time on land except for basking. At times, they tend to spend weeks at sea in search of land and in some cases, barnacles have been observed growing on crocodile scales, indicative of the long periods they spend at sea.

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Saltwater crocodiles hold the record for the highest bite force ever recorded in any animal, with a peak bite force of 16,414 N (3,690 lbf), far surpassing the highest recorded value in the spotted hyena of 4,500 N (1,012 lbf). The extraordinary bite of crocodilians is a result of their anatomy. The space for the jaw muscle in the skull is very large, which is easily visible from the outside as a bulge at each side. The nature of the muscle is extremely stiff, almost as hard as bone to the touch, such that it can appear to be the continuum of the skull. Another trait is that most of the muscle in a crocodile's jaw is arranged for clamping down. Despite the strong muscles to close the jaw, crocodiles have extremely small and weak muscles to open the jaw. The jaws of a crocodile can be securely shut with several layers of duct tape.

Night Music ~ Listen To The Music

Carry: Cadillac 2017 Oscars Commercial

Molly and Todd on Monday

 Molly here,

BG has discovered that he can play his music on his computer.  He down loaded LALand and then found he has a lot of music on his computer.

Jon gave him some music also so he is going to explore that.  He has over 300 CD's on his "machine" that he can also play.

 He is discovered that music and reading is much better that paying attention to the crap news that Trumph puts out.

Oh I will still vote...Just not going to worry any more.  He was upset about the way things have gone...But with King, Grassley and Ernst as my so-called) representatives..he was not sleeping well.

So we can always sleep.  BG likes to watch us sleep.


Then we had snow

It is nice.  I don't like the rain so I sleep but we do like the snow.  Until it melts and turns into mud.

Todd likes to sit behind the couch (that he chewed) and watch for squirrels.

The snow didn't last long but we watched it and then we played in it and sniffed it..

BG says the smells must be nice because we all went all over the yard all of the snow smells.

Then we came back in because Todd had to bark at someone.


BG doesn't like us to bark.

But we can always look at our window.

 This is Todd's latest preferred position.

I like my couch.

So perhaps BG will also take a nap.  Thanks for stopping to stop to see us.  Woof!

Night Music ~ Planet Earth II - Soundtrack Score OST - Hans Zimmer, Jacob Shea & Jasha...

Lily - I love this woman.

Apiarian

"Were I to be the founder of a new sect, I would call them Apiarians, and, after the example of the bee, advise them to extract the honey of every sect."  

- Thomas Jefferson

"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."

~Marcus Aurelius

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.

—Maya Angelou

"There is a quiet light that shines in every heart. It draws no attention to itself though it is always secretly there. It is what illuminates our minds to see beauty, our desire to seek possibility and our hearts to love life... This shy inner light is what enables us to recognize and receive our very presence here as blessing."

~John O'Donohue

Ultimately, the only power to which man should aspire is that which he exercises over himself.

~ Elie Wiesel

Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart

and love the questions themselves...

~Rainer Maria Rilke

We must shift our allegiances from fear to curiosity, from attachment to letting go, from control to trust, and from entitlement to humility.

~Angeles Arrien

"Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it."

~ Soren Kierkegaard

Being deeply loved gives you strength,

Loving deeply gives you courage.

~ L. Tzu

Use your voice for kindness, your ears for compassion, your hands for charity, your mind for truth, and your Heart for Love.

~ UK

Night Music ~ Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It

Saturday Matinee

The Most Happy Fella.

Night Music ~ Rhapsody in Blue

Found For Friday

 This is my favorite pun..
A marine biologist developed a race of genetically engineered dolphins that could live forever if they were fed a steady diet of seagulls.
One day, his supply of the birds ran out so he had to go out and trap some more. On the way back, he spied two lions asleep on the road. Afraid to wake them, he gingerly stepped over them.
Immediately, he was arrested and charged with -- transporting gulls across sedate lions for immortal porpoises.

What is the difference between a metal tube and a crazy Dutchman?

One is a hollow cylinder and the other is a silly Hollander.

Is it also true that a Flying Dutchman once banged his head against the same metal tube which resulted in the development of Holland Daze?

Can a well-rounded person become flattered?

Watching a fishbowl is right up my alley.

The swordfish has few predators to worry about in the wild,

except for the seldom seen penfish, which is said to be even mightier.

I doubt Scotch is the answer, but it's worth a shot.

Musicians need a leader because they don't know how to conduct themselves.

I go to Jo-Ann Fabric to write puns.

I get my best material there.

Visitors to Cuba are usually Havana good time!

HT/ JMK.

puns collected by the Caristi's and Carey

Night Music ~Sophia Loren Mambo Italiano

Throwback Thursday

This is another of my collection of Nippon.  I do not remember where I got this but I probably picked it up in a shop.  I liked it because it reminded me of Egypt.  I was there in 1976 and I particularly liked the boats.  Here is a snippet from Wiki....

A felucca (Arabic: فلوكة‎‎) is a traditional wooden sailing boat used in protected waters of the Red Sea and eastern Mediterranean including 
Malta, and particularly along the Nile in Egypt, Sudan, and also in Iraq. Its rig consists of one or two lateen sails.
They are usually able to board ten passengers and the crew consists of two or three people.