McGregor Museum

The salt water crocodile is an apex predator in estuarine and river systems. Their large size, powerful bite, quick accelleration and below-surface camouflage combine to allow crocodiles to take a range of animals that visit the water’s edge. Feeding in these, the largest extant reptiles, can be considered infrequent as being ectothermic and relatively inactive allows each meal to go a long way.

The McGregor Museum holds two large skulls of adult saltwater crocodiles which are accompanied by a taxidermied juvenile shown breaking out of an egg.

The Gavial, Galvialis gangeticus is the second largest of all extant crocodiles and is native to India. It has a long narrow snout and razor-sharp teeth which interlock to make a trap for its preferred prey, fish. Its light skull and narrow jaw reduce water resistance making it possible to catch moving fish.