Incredible moment crocodiles nudge stray dog to safety instead of attacking after it falls into river
'The muggers were well within the striking range and could have easily devoured the dog, yet none of them attacked,' a report stated
MAHARASHTRA, INDIA: A dog almost lost its life to a pack of feral canines but surprisingly, three crocodiles came to its rescue.
The shocking incident happened in the Indian state of Maharashtra, The Independent reported.
The date of the incident is not known but it was mentioned in a new report published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa by researchers.
Crocodiles’ ‘hunger drive was absent’
The Independent, citing the research paper, reported that the dog was running away from a group of other feral dogs.
The pooch jumped into the River Savitri, full of the local species of mugger crocodiles whose can grow up to 18 feet in length and weigh up to 1,000 pounds.
When the dog got into the water, three crocodiles were reportedly very near to it, the report stated.
The scientists said, “These crocodiles were actually touching the dog with their snouts and nudging it to move further for a safe ascent on the bank and eventually escape.”
They continued, “The muggers were well within the striking range and could have easily devoured the dog, yet none of them attacked and instead chose to nudge it towards the bank, implying that the hunger drive was absent.”
“The curious case of a dog ‘rescued’ by the group of crocodiles reported here seems more on lines of empathy than altruistic behavior," the scientists asserted.
They also remarked, “This behavior is novel and intriguing,” before adding, “Reptiles have been underestimated as far as animal cognition is concerned.”
Dog saves toddler’s life
The story comes as another story of a dog’s love for its humans has come to light.
A pet dog called Blue became an instant hero after saving a one-year-old child from a house fire.
The incident reportedly happened earlier this year when a fire started at the home of Janet Kelley, a mother-of-four, trapping her one-year-old daughter in a playpen.
Kelley’s family dog Blue, a Pitbull Lab mix rescue dog, did not reportedly leave the tot’s side for a second and continued to bark until the help arrived.
The woman shared, “I got a phone call that the house was on fire. My fiance's brother was at the home and he's the one that called. He was trying to rush and get the dog, the kids, and everybody out of the house.”
Kelley also added, “[Blue] is very protective over all of us. He also loves his best friend Smokey, the family cat.”
