Crocodiles Team Up To 'Save' Dog: Research Says Empathy Is Possible!

Have crocodiles been wrongly given a bad rap for all of eternity? One study suggests that's a possibility.

A recent report released by the Journal of Threatened Taxa studied the behavior of marsh crocodiles, also known as muggers, in Maharashtra, India. The study, released in August, explored the possible "empathy" between man's best friend and crocodiles.

One case in the report looked at a stray dog who was helped out by three adult crocodiles after catching their attention while trying to escape a pack of feral dogs in the Savitri River.

"At this time three adult Muggers were clearly seen floating close by in the water and their attention was drawn to this dog and they moved closer towards the dog," the report reads. "What initially seemed to be a classical predatory instinct of the Mugger towards the hapless prey, soon turned out to be more docile behaviour by two of the three crocodiles that guided the dog away from the site where it would have been vulnerable to the three crocodiles chose not to attack the potential prey remain speculative."

The muggers were within the "striking range" and "could have easily devoured the dog," yet none of them attacked the dog but rather nudged it toward the bank. They called this a "case of sentient behaviour of the Mugger" that resulted in "cross species 'emotional empathy.'"

While the scientists aren't sure why the crocodile helped the dog instead of attacking, they added that the crocodiles were pushing the dog with their snout "nudging it to move further for a safe ascent on the bank and eventually escape."

According to the Wildlife Institute of India, adult male mugger crocodiles can reach 18 feet long and weigh up to 1,000 pounds. They are known to pose a major threat to humans who go near their natural habitats in places such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

The crocodiles were called "docile" by the researchers. The dog would have been no match for the three muggers had they chosen to attack. The report explained that the analysis was speculative, and it's possible that the crocodiles empathy could have been chalked up to a lack of appetite at that moment.

"The curious case of a dog 'rescued' by the group of crocodiles reported here seems more on the lines of empathy than altruistic behaviour," the report concludes. "However, there is little research done on such mental faculties of reptiles and this paper opens novel vistas of understanding behaviour of Muggers in general and that of Savitri River in particular."

In addition to the muggers' possible alliance with the pup in need, the report also touches on an obsession the crocodiles seem to have with marigold flowers.

The crocodiles are often seen floating around with marigolds as well as keeping "physical contact" with the flowers. Researchers noted that the compounds in the marigolds can protect skin from bacteria and fungi, which the Savitri River is polluted with, as well as sewage and other harmful things.

Does this all mean that crocs have been mislabeled as vicious killing machines for so long? Probably not, but scientists are working hard to figure them out better.