Lili clapped noisily, praising, "Well done, Daigo! I didn't expect you to be so brave!"
Daigo said with pride, "First, never be impulsive; second, never overlook any wrongdoing! Haha, just confront such stupidity directly and it's all sorted."
Lin Hao shook his head slightly, "That's not being impulsive. It's right to stop such behavior, but it's still better to notify the animal keeper. What if they get angry and decide to hit you?"
Daigo grinned, "With so many people around here, he wouldn't dare to make a move. Alright, I know you care about , Lin. I'll be more careful. Next ti, I'll try to persuade in a more gentle manner."
A tourist asked, "Animal keeper, why isn't this crocodile moving at all? Are you not feeding them and letting them starve?"
"There's no such thing as our zoo animals being starved."
Animal keeper Chuan explained, "Seeing the crocodile motionless, are you all a bit disappointed? In fact, the silent and still behavior of crocodiles is the key to their survival.
You see them lying on the shore motionless, but actually, they are basking in the sun to boost their tabolism while on the shore.
Reptiles can't generate enough heat from their tabolism to maintain their body temperature, so they need to absorb heat from the environnt.
They only eat when their body temperature is high enough; otherwise, they refuse to eat. Even if they force down so food, it will just rot in their stomachs instead of being digested. After eating, they will bask in the sun again to absorb heat and help digest the food.
The stone slabs on our shore have heating pads underneath them to assist in warming when there's not enough sunlight!"
"Oh~"
The tourists looking at the motionless crocodiles on the shore showed a look of realization.
Suddenly, they shouted excitedly, "It moved, it moved!"
The saltwater crocodile, which had been immobile like a sculpture, suddenly started moving, its limbs in motion, its body and tail swaying slightly. The huge body moved like an armored vehicle, crushing through a thick clump of grass on the shore and slowly making its way into the water.
Daigo, watching the crocodile enter the water, clicked his tongue and said, "Too bad those two got driven off and didn't see the crocodile entering the water. Now see if they still claim it's just a specin."
Seeing the crocodile enter the water and disperse waves to both sides, leaving only its head floating quietly, Lili expressed her disappointnt, "Oh no, why did it move only for a mont?"
Chuan said, "In the early morning when the sun cos up, the weak crocodiles will climb out of the water to bask on the shore and regain strength. At night, they will return to the water because the heat generated by the direct sunlight during the day lasts longer in water than in the air."
When there's no need to move, crocodiles remain completely still, which helps them conserve energy. With minimal food intake, they can save energy to grow, interact with other crocodiles, and nurture their offspring, without needing to hunt constantly.
In the water, crocodiles can also remain motionless at the surface, camouflaging themselves as a log, or even hiding beside logs or other floating objects, exposing only their nostrils and eyes, waiting for an opportunity to hunt."
The tourists stood at the railing, curiously peering at the crocodiles in the murky green water.
"No wonder they've grown so big."
"It really does look just like a log!"
It occurred to Lin Hao then that Chuan had just co up from underground. Could it be possible to see the crocodiles underwater from below?
After sharing the thought with his companions, they all imdiately agreed and headed back down the slope!
The entrance to the crocodile exhibit has two paths, an inclined walkway that is one ter above the water level with a 1.3-ter high railing, ensuring safety at this height.
The other is a downward incline, and the two paths cross, forming a slim "X."
The underground corridor didn't have any special lighting sources, because half a ter of the glass curtain wall was above the water surface, and the natural sunlight that poured in was more than sufficient for illumination.
Here, one could not only observe the underwater activities of the crocodiles but also the educational exhibit boards hung on the walls made full use of the corridor's space.
On one of the exhibit boards, a crocodile was depicted with large eyes that seed to be shedding big tears.
Oh, crocodile tears!
Lin Hao looked curiously at the exhibit board, having known the story of crocodile tears since elentary school. The legend goes that when crocodiles capture their prey and feed, they will insincerely shed tears as if in sympathy.
"The phrase 'crocodile tears' cos from a Western proverb, describing those who put on a kind facade but are ruthless at heart. It's used to satirize hypocrites who do bad things while feigning compassion.
Indeed, crocodiles do shed tears, but it's rely a chanism for expelling excess salt from their bodies to maintain osmotic balance. Sea turtles also shed tears when they co ashore, and it's for the sa reason."
Lili, holding onto her boyfriend's hand, was walking ahead and couldn't stop laughing at the view of the crocodile underwater: "Haha, you guys have to co and see this!"
Your journey continues on empire
Lin Hao walked over and peered into the water, which imdiately made him laugh too!
In the dark green water, the crocodile that appeared nacing from above was slowly walking on the uneven rocks beneath it with its hind legs.
It actually gave off a goofy and cute impression?
Daigo happily snapped away with his cara, grinning from ear to ear: "This entertaining scene has to be captured and shared with friends in the group!"
To keep the underwater scenery from looking too monotonous, Fang Ye had placed so rocks and aquatic plants like waterweeds at the bottom, which swayed in the currents, resembling a dreamlike underwater forest under the pale yellow glow of the sunlight streaming through the water.
However, this saltwater crocodile was simply walking slowly in the shallow water near the bank with its hind legs. The farther it walked, the deeper the water beca, and it then stuck its legs to its body and swayed its thick tail, swimming like a fish.
When turning, it would fan out its webbed feet as if steering an imaginary wheel, smoothly adjusting its swimming direction.
Seeming to notice the shadows approaching the underwater glass wall, the crocodile suddenly subrged completely.
It reached the front of the glass curtain wall, its tail hanging naturally in the water, and its massive body was suspended there like a thick flying carpet!
The four stretched-out chubby limbs were like the four corners of the carpet.
It floated slowly past the spectators, its closed mouth pointing forward, and with the eyes on one side of its head, it expressionlessly took in the crowd.
From such a close distance, one could clearly see the thin white layer covering its eyes, giving its dangerous and cold vertical pupils a formidable look!
Lin Hao felt a tingling on his scalp as if he had been electrocuted; even his breathing involuntarily halted. He didn't know if it was nervousness or excitent!
Watching such a powerful, tank-like crocodile slowly pass by was indeed a thrilling experience!
The saltwater crocodile seed to sense the presence of the glass curtain wall, paddled its tail, and slowly swam upward.
Only then did the visitors react, and exclamations of "whoa" erupted!
"Mom, a crocodile just swam past my face, I'm sweating palms here!"
"Gotta take a photo and post it on my circle of friends!"
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