I was most excited to see the crocodile, a magnificent and ruthless creature, when I travelled to the Cañón del Sumidero in Chiapas. The deep, vast canyon is home to this reptile royalty that rules the river that flows through the natural wonder. This week we will be hunting crocodiles (with our cameras!) in Tabasco’s Parque Tomás Garrido Canabal and Chiapas’s Cañón Del Sumidero.
The crocodile is covered with scales that create a texture tough enough to match its personality. Its rough gray armour allows it to blend in with the rocky terrain of the banks of the river it inhabits. Although it has a tough exterior, it has a soft underbelly (so I am told; I have never been close enough to feel for myself). The majority of the time, it lies on this underbelly to rest, but when it finally lifts its belly to run, it can reach speeds of 20 miles per hour. Finally, the reptile cannot regulate its own body temperature, so it utilizes strategies like laying out in the sun to warm up and opening its mouth to keep cool.
