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DISCOVER THE MASSIVE CROCODILE THAT COULD GALLOP LIKE A HORSE

Written by Colby Maxwell
Published: September 20, 2022
iStock.com/AppleZoomZoom
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 1. Animals Home
 2. All Animals
 3. Reptiles
 4. Crocodiles
 5. Discover the Massive Crocodile that Could Gallop Like a Horse

Crocodiles are one of the most well-known and fearsome animals in the world.
Their powerful bodies, strong jaws and immense speed and agility along with
their unparalleled stealth, has lead to them being one of the world’s most apex
predators in their natural environments.
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More Great Content:
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The Largest Saltwater Crocodile in the World

Although most people are aware that crocodiles and alligators are dangerous,
it’s not often we have to really be worried about them. Sure, if we plan on
swimming in a pond in Florida we should be careful, but that isn’t really
something that most people do on a regular basis. Thankfully, crocs and gators
are relegated to their swampy realm, a place that humans rarely tread. Well…
that wasn’t always true, historically. In fact, one ancient crocodile didn’t
just leave the water to hunt, it was adapted to gallop at its prey as fast as a
horse! Let’s discover the massive crocodile that could gallop like a horse (it’s
the stuff of nightmares)!


THE CROCODILE THAT COULD GALLOP LIKE A HORSE

An ancient crocodile that lived 100 million years ago was able to gallop like a
horse.

David Havel/Shutterstock.com

In the past few decades, scientists have unearthed a lot of fossils. Aside from
the dinosaurs, however, most of them could have easily lived alongside humans
without too much issue. That is until they unearthed Kaprosuchus saharicus and
Laganosuchus thaumastos. Both of these species were found in the Sahara Desert
at a dig site and may be the scariest crocodiles to have ever been found.



What makes these crocs so scary? Their ability to run! Modern crocodiles and
alligators are evolved to spend their days in the water, lounging about until
unsuspecting prey wanders too close to the shoreline. Although they can run when
needed, it isn’t something they like to do. K. saharicus and L. thaumastos, on
the other hand, are perfectly adapted for running.

After measurements of the fossils were taken, scientists estimated that both
species of croc (which were found right next to each other) were around 20 feet
tall, had large tusks, and had long legs that were ideal for galloping sprints.

> “My African crocs appeared to have had both upright, agile legs for bounding
> overland and a versatile tail for paddling in water,” writes Paul Sereno, a
> palaeontologist at the University of Chicago, in National Geographic Magazine.
> “These species open a window on a croc world completely foreign to what was
> living on northern continents.”
> 
> The Guardian


WHEN AND WHERE DID THESE SPRINTING CROCODILES LIVE?

K. saharicus and L. thaumastos were both found in modern-day Morocco and Niger,
somewhere in the Sahara Desert.

iStock.com/USO



Thankfully, humans didn’t have to live alongside these crocodiles. From the
fossil dating, it’s estimated that these creatures lived around 100 million
years ago, well before humans made their debut on earth. Other famous creatures
living during this time would have been Argentinosaurus (the largest land animal
to ever live) and potentially T-Rex, although it would have been right at the
end of the crocodile’s timeline.

The fossils were discovered in what’s modern-day Morocco and Niger during
research expeditions into the Sahara Desert. During their time, the crocodiles
would have lived near large, broad rivers and walked (or galloped) in the
regions surrounding the rivers.



> “We were surprised to find so many species from the same time in the same
> place,” said Hans Larsson, a palaeontologist at the University of Montreal,
> who took part in the expedition. “Each of the crocs apparently had different
> diets, different behaviours. It appears they had divided up the ecosystem,
> each species taking advantage of it in its own way.”
> 
> The Guardian

The site where the fossils were found was right near the site of another large
discovery, that of Sarcosuchus imperato. Sarcosuchus imperato is the largest
freshwater crocodile to have ever lived, with some estimates placing it at 40
feet long and weighing 17,500 lbs. These massive reptiles would have lived
around 110 million years ago, close to the time of it’s galloping relatives.




WHAT IS THE LARGEST CROCODILE ALIVE TODAY?

Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles on earth.

Janos / stock.adobe.com – License



Thankfully, galloping or 40-foot crocodiles don’t live today, otherwise, humans
probably wouldn’t EVER swim. Still, there are still some reptilian beasts in the
world that are directly descended from the monster crocs of old! As it stands,
the saltwater crocodile is the largest crocodile (and overall reptile) in the
world. They live in India, southeast Asia, and Australia and spend most of their
time in the ocean. At their largest, saltwater crocodiles can grow to 20 feet
and weigh around 1,200 lbs. Although they aren’t as big as their ancient
cousins, they are still plenty big enough to eat a human!


HOW FAST CAN CROCODILES RUN?

When it comes to running, modern crocodiles and gators aren’t slow, but they
definitely aren’t as fast or as long-winded as they used to be. Most research
points to them being able to run between 15 and 22 mph, which is faster than
most humans. Still, these bursts of speed aren’t just that; bursts. Crocodiles
and alligators can’t sustain these speeds for anything more than a quick second.
Most of the time, this speed is used to enter the water quickly, or to grab prey
right on the shoreline.




UP NEXT

 * Crocodile Speed: How Fast Can Crocodiles Run?
 * How Fast Can Alligators Run?
 * Bear vs Crocodile: Who Would Win in a Fight?



Big aggressive crocodile in the swamp.
iStock.com/AppleZoomZoom
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About the Author

COLBY MAXWELL

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colby is a freelance writer from Charlotte, North Carolina. When he isn't
distracted by his backyard birdfeeder, you can find him camping, exploring, and
telling everyone around him about what he's recently learned. There's a whole
world to learn about and Colby is content to spend his life learning as much as
he can about it!


Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals
editorial team.



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