“We can make predictions based off the living groups, and that includes looking at some of the biggest ones,” says Drumheller-Horton.Īt the same time, today’s measurements can be used to show how living species have changed in response to hunting, fishing, and other human impacts. ( Read more about the biggest ever freshwater croc fossil.) Lolong, who died in captivity in the Philippines in 2013, likely dined on fish, birds, mammals, and even livestock in the wild.
“Really big animals are really useful data points,” says Stephanie Drumheller-Horton, who studies ancient crocodile relatives at the University of Tennessee.įor instance, when trying to figure out what the 40-foot Sarcosuchus imperator- nicknamed SuperCroc-ate during the Cretaceous period, it’s helpful to study the diet of today’s largest crocs.
There’s another good reason for documenting the biggest of the big: They can tell us about the past. ( Read why great whites are still a mystery to us.) A window into the past
PARTY ANIMALS CROCS HOW TO
SharkFest kicks off Sunday, July 19, at 8/7c on National Geographic Channel, and then continues until Sunday, August 9, on Nat Geo WILD.Īnd for a species vulnerable to extinction, such as the great white, this is crucial data for figuring out how to best protect the fish and boost its numbers, he says. Want more sharks? Tune in to five full weeks of SharkFest for action-packed, heart-pounding, and informative shows about these awe-inspiring creatures.
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