THIS is the horror moment a crocodile searching for food took on a gang of savage sharks in a brutal “battle for territory”.
Wild footage captured the apex predators surrounding the lone beast before the face-off near coastal waters in North Queensland, Australia.
The moment the lone croc came face to face with a killer shark
The beast was surrounded by the apex predators
But they failed to deter the lone beast who then struck back at the sea predators
The large croc was hunting for food near a beach when the gang of sharks came face to face with the beast – and began attacks to ward it off.
One of the sharks then began to move its tail and splash the shallow waters to scare the crocodile off.
However, it failed to deter the lone beast who then struck back at the sea predators.
The sharks were then forced to swim away in what looked to be a humiliating defeat for them.
Vincent Bates, a local fisherman working at the beach, captured the drama before uploading it to TikTok.
He wrote in the captions: “Crocodile and sharks battle for territory.”
Many social media users flocked to the comments section to share their thoughts on the incredible face-off, calling it a “crazy fight”.
One user said lack of food forced the beasts to take on each other.
They added: “The problem is overfishing in deeper waters by huge ships as sharks only come searching for food in shallow beaches.
Laura Sandeman, a marine biologist at Human Society International, told Yahoo News: ” This certainly seems to be an instance of predators looking for an opportunity to get a quick meal with a fishing boat in the water.”
Crocodiles often lurk in shallow waters to find food, but watching them fight sharks off is a rare sight.
In 2021, a crocodile came face-to-face with two sharks as they swam past each other.
While a shark was filmed biting an alligator near a South Carolina beach.
The shark was filmed circling the gator, who was being fed by locals, before suddenly sinking its teeth into its left leg causing the animal to jump.
Facts about the saltwater crocodile
Saltwater crocodiles are the largest crocodile species in the world, and the largest living reptile in the world.
Male saltwater crocodiles have been recorded at lengths of 23 feet while females are much smaller, growing to be about 10 feet long.
The world’s largest crocodile, Cassius, resides in a wildlife park in Queensland, Australia.
Saltwater crocodiles communicate using several sounds, including barking, hissing, growling and chirping.
Saltwater Crocodiles are one of the oldest creatures to walk the planet.
They first appeared over 240 million years ago, during the time of the dinosaurs.
While others have evolved into different shapes and forms, saltwater crocs have stuck to the same structure for the last 200 million years.
Saltwater Crocodiles breed during the wet season, and females can lay up to 50 eggs, which they build nests for along the nearby river banks.
The eggs incubate for around 3 months before hatching. Only 1 per cent of hatchlings survive into adulthood