Man-eating crocodile encounters – a cryptid overview

Crocodiles are apex predators in most of their natural habitats and feed on whatever is available, from fish to mammals. With some species, reaching 6 m in length and over 1000 kg, they also represent an actual threat to humans, specifically in areas where direct contact is usual. Crocodiles do perceive humans as a potential source of food and attack when possible, actually causing hundreds of deaths annually. Most of the attacks occur within the natural range of crocodile distribution and are not uncommon in Australia, South-Eastern Asia, and Africa. In all of these cases, the usual suspects were either the saltwater crocodile or the Nile crocodile, the two largest and most aggressive representatives of the family Crocodylidae. At least five more crocodile species are known as actual or potential man-eaters, although at a much smaller scale. Such attacks are, of course, not extraordinary in any sense of this word, and do not fall into the scope of the present study. Some recent reports, however, suggest that different crocodile species may be introduced, successfully adapt and even mutate into ferocious man-eating cryptids outside of their natural range.