Crocodiles will rarely attempt to chase a human on dry land. Crocodiles' speed and agility is mostly dependent on their tail and body and thus works best in the water.
About 8.5% of attacks occurred on land, including two instances of people being attacked in their tents, one attack listed as "near crocodile nest", one listed as “sleeping near water”, and one as “on beach”.
Crocodiles can run very fast when they are about to attack. So, skip those "running in zigzag motion" advice and run in a straight line as fast as you can. The goal is to get away from the croc as far as possible.
These strong muscles also mean that for shorts bursts of time crocodiles can move faster than humans can on land.
If a crocodile heads your way, run away in a straight line. The myth about moving in a zig-zag motion is just that—a myth. Crocodiles can move at 10 miles per hour, so remove those flip-flops so you can run faster.
Never provoke, harass or interfere with crocodiles, even small ones. Never feed crocodiles — it is illegal and dangerous. Be extra vigilant around water at night and during the breeding season from September to April. Avoid approaching the edge of the water and don't paddle or wade at the edge of the water.
It's very rare for an alligator to chase a human on dry land. And the average human could easily outrun an alligator, zigzagging or not — it tops out at a speed of around 9.5 miles per hour (15 kph), and it can't maintain that speed for very long [source: University of Florida].
The two species with the most well-known and documented reputation for preying on humans are the Nile crocodile and saltwater crocodile, and these are the perpetrators of the vast majority of both fatal and non-fatal crocodilian attacks.
An unarmed person and a crocodile differ greatly in terms of their morphology, size, and sheer force. Size, defenses, and offensive capabilities will matter most in a fight between an unarmed human and a crocodile. On land, humans can outrun crocodiles, but in the water, crocodiles are considerably swifter.
There are only two weak spots on a Crocodile for an unarmed human to target in the event of an attack, and then only if you're incredibly lucky. 99 percent of the time if any of you is in its mouth you're dead. Those two weak spots are the eyes.
Crocodiles will swallow their food whole if it's small enough but will use their powerful teeth and jaws to crush and break up larger prey or to splinter the hard outer shell of a crab or a turtle. Nile crocodiles like this one will eat buffaloes and occasionally people, although humans are not their natural prey.
Australia has a large population of crocodiles but as the research noted, there are only an average of 1.9 attacks a year.
But despite their size and strength, there are animals that do prey on them. Man appears to be their biggest predator. Big cats like leopards and panthers sometimes kill and eat these big reptiles. Large snakes can also do a lot of damage to alligators and crocodiles.
Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
The species easily claims the title of the most-dangerous crocodilian, since it is widely thought to be responsible for more than 300 attacks on people per year.
The "winners"—saltwater crocodiles—slammed their jaws shut with 3,700 pounds per square inch (psi), or 16,460 newtons, of bite force. By contrast, you might tear into a steak with 150 to 200 psi (890 newtons). Hyenas, lions, and tigers generate around 1,000 psi (4,450 newtons).
All of an alligator's jaw power is on the down stroke. They have almost no muscle power when it comes to opening their jaws. What that means is that you can hold the animal's mouth shut with one hand.
Listen for Hissing
This crucial warning sign is often a loud hissing noise that tells you that you're in its territory. If you hear this sound, you should slowly retreat to safer waters to avoid a confrontation.
There are thought to be around 200,000 Saltwater Crocodiles in Australia, with the most found in the areas surrounding Darwin and the Mary River. Over the years, they have been hunted for their skins and have almost been brought to extinction on a number of occasions.
Can a human outrun a crocodile? The short answer is yes. “Most crocodiles can achieve 12–14kph for short periods,” says crocodile specialist Adam Britton, “which is slower than a fit human can run. So if you're in reasonable shape, you could definitely outrun a croc.”
These frightening and fascinating animals live in the Northern part of Australia, which enjoys a warm and tropical climate. You can find crocs along the north coast between Broome (Western Australia) and Rockhampton (QLD) and up to 200km inland.
Research shows that they do. However, their emotions are not the same as humans. We may anthropomorphize crocodiles and snakes in certain ways, but they are not conniving evil beasts. They feel fear and anxiety and contentedness, even if it is in their own way.
Although adult crocodiles have no natural predators other than humans, hatchlings have a high mortality rate and are preyed upon by other wildlife including raccoons, birds, and crabs.