Can you spot the crocodile before it’s too late? Deadly predator is almost impossible to see… but there is a clue

It was a beautiful day, you and your friends weren’t bothered by anything in the world, joking and messing around by the river…

But beneath the soft mud a vicious killer lurked, its razor-sharp rows of pointed teeth just inches from bare feet.

If there was a crocodile hiding near you… you’d want to know about it. But do you know the tell-tale signs to recognize the deadly predator?

The photo of the deadly carnivore hidden in heavy mud was shared to the Australian Native Animals Facebook group as a reminder to keep a close eye out in crocodile territory.

“A reminder to be crocodile wise, keep your eyes out of the mud,” Rodney Fischer captioned the photo of the barely distinguishable shape of an Australian saltwater crocodile covered in mud.

The only indication that the crocodile is covered in mud is a golden-green eye eerily peering out, which many people commenting on the post thought was a small leaf or rock.

Saltwater crocodiles – or ‘salties’ – are the largest living crocodile species in the world and can grow up to five meters in length, although specimens up to six meters are not uncommon.

Despite the ‘saltwater’ description, saltwater crocodiles in Australia are commonly found in estuaries and have been known to travel hundreds of kilometers inland, swimming in freshwater.

The mottled colors and bumps on the species’ backs allow them to effortlessly blend in with the colors of both murky and clear, shallow water.

However, in the mud, which is normally caused by the annual wet season in naturally humid environments, they are virtually invisible.

They remain largely submerged just below the surface of the water thanks to the nostrils on top of the end of their snouts, while their ears close underwater, allowing them to remain quietly in one position until prey comes into their path.

Crocodiles and alligators appear to be some of the reigning masters of camouflage within the animal kingdom, as many other species in the reptile group can disguise themselves as well as the saltwater crocodile.

The black caiman is the largest member of the alligator family, with adult males averaging about 4 meters in length. Crocodiles of the world.

The species gets its name from its black skin color, which provides camouflage during night hunts and is thought to help absorb more heat.

A crocodile camouflaged in the water in Tangerang, Indonesia – the huge reptile hides under small leaves as it swims above the water with only its eyes and snout (Photo: Yensen Tan/Caters)

A terrifying image shared by Australian hunter Scott Gorman showed how he could have easily been snatched by a camouflaged crocodile in long grass (Picture: Warwick Milne)

According to the LA timesscientists discovered in 2013 that alligators and crocodiles are not only fearsome and elusive, but are also incredibly cunning in their use of tactics to capture prey.

Scientists from the University of Tennessee have confirmed that the two reptile species use twigs to lure unsuspecting birds to their doom – by covering their snouts with sticks as they lurk underwater.

This strategy would normally be adopted by the creatures during the spring breeding season, when various species of birds would grab and fight any small woody piece of wood they could get their beaks on to build their nests.

In June 2021, terrifying footage posted to social media by an Australian hunter showed how he could have easily been snatched by a camouflaged crocodile.

Refrigeration technician Scott Gorman, 32, was pig hunting with two friends in Weipa, North Queensland, when he almost stepped on one of the top predators.

The deadly reptile was so well hidden in the long grass that he only saw it at the last second.