Crocodiles Save Stray Dog from Certain Death in Astonishing Act of Kindness

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When a young dog in India sought refuge in a river while being chased by a pack of feral animals, it was immediately surrounded by three crocodiles.

They were so close they could “have easily devoured” it, experts say, but instead, when their snouts came in contact, they helped save its life.

This remarkable event was detailed in a new report published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa by scientists who have spent years studying marsh crocodiles, known as muggers, in Maharashtra, India.

Adult male muggers can reach up to 18 feet long and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds, according to the Wildlife Institute of India. Despite their formidable size, researchers noted that these massive creatures are not always aggressive.

In this instance, a young dog, chased by a pack of feral dogs, sought escape in the Savitri River. As it entered the water, three adult muggers were seen floating nearby, their attention immediately drawn to the distressed animal.

But instead of attacking the dog, two of the three crocodiles exhibited unexpectedly gentle behavior. Rather than making the dog their next meal, the crocodiles “guided” it away from the pack of dogs waiting on the riverbank.

“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,” the researchers wrote. “Given that the mugger was well within striking range and could have easily devoured the dog, yet none of them attacked and instead chose to nudge it towards the bank, implies that the hunger drive was absent.”

Why didn’t the crocodiles seize the opportunity to eat the dog, as they have in other situations? Even the scientists are unsure.

Their best guess is that the muggers were demonstrating emotional intelligence. “Emotional empathy” – the capacity to experience the emotional state of another species – isn’t thoroughly investigated in these animals, they said, but it could explain this behavior.

“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 suggested.

In their research, scientists made another intriguing discovery – muggers have a fondness for marigold flowers.

The crocodiles were regularly observed floating, basking, and lounging around the yellow and orange flowers, often maintaining “physical contact” with them.

Marigold petals are known to have antimicrobial properties that can protect skin from fungi and bacteria. Given the sewage contamination in the Savitri River, it’s believed that contact with the flowers could help alleviate such issues.

“This behavior is novel and intriguing,” the researchers noted, adding that it warrants further investigation.

While they can’t be certain why the muggers chose to help the dog rather than feast on it, one thing is clear, according to the researchers: “Reptiles have been underestimated as far as animal cognition is concerned.”

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