Climate change is finishing crocodiles – TVN Meteo

Rosary crocodiles (Crocodylus Porosus) are variables – their body temperature depends on the outside conditions. In practice, this means that when they need to warm up, they lie in a sunny place. When they need refreshment, they hide in the shadows or jump into the water.

However, due to increasing temperature values ​​related to climate change, their behavior begins to change. The authors of the study, which on February 12 saw the light of day in the scientific journal “Current Biology”, said that over the last 15 years they have observed an increase in the average temperature of the bodies of these animals. Increasingly, they were exposed to functioning at a temperature of about 32-33 degrees Celsius, which in their case is the thermal limit.

Research previously carried out on individuals living in captivity shows that if the body temperature of the crocodile reaches at least 32 degrees Celsius, there may be less efficient swim and diving. When their bodies get too warm, crocodiles spend more time at trying to cool and this way they limit their activity.

– The warmer crocodile has faster metabolism. This means faster oxygen burning. Laboratory tests have shown that such animals simply cannot stop their breath for a long time. They also need more to recover on the surface – said the main author of the publication Kaitlin Barham. The researcher deals with analysis of crocodile behavior at the Queensland University in Australia.

From 2008 to 2023, scientists observed the behavior of 203 rosary crocodiles in the Wild Nature Reserve Steve Irwin, Queensland. They monitored their temperature using devices implanted under the skin. Thanks to them, scientists could monitor when the crocodile was looking for a cooler place and how much time he had to spend in it.

If the crocodile was not detected for half an hour to day, and then appeared with a higher or lower temperature, scientists could assume that the individual tried to regulate his temperature – either cool or warm up.

Scientists had to analyze almost 6.5 million temperature readings at crocodile. 0.55 degrees C were the highest deviation from the norm of body temperature. Among the monitored crocodiles, in 135 individuals at least once a temperature exceeding 32 degrees C was detected. One of the individuals was found in one of the individuals exceeding this value exceeding this value every day for over one month in 2021.

Researchers found that the highest temperature values ​​of crocodiles were associated with the reign of the phenomenon of El Nino. It is believed that the long -lasting persistence of this trend affects the intensification of the consequences of climate change.

When it was warmer, crocodiles more often showed behaviors aimed at cooling down. At high temperatures, they happened more often in water, but for a shorter time.

At this moment, scientists are not able to find how these changes in crocodile behavior can affect their existence. However, certainly individuals exposed to the highest temperature have already begun adapted to more and more hot. The only question is how long they will be able to withstand, considering the fact that when it is warmer, they show a less desire to hunt.

– Every minute they spend on attempts to reduce body temperature is a minute that they will not use to move, reproduce or search for food. This can have very serious consequences for their prosperity – summed up Barham.