It is nearly a year now since we carried a rather interesting story on this Blog about the possibility that Dinosaurs may have roamed the Kenyan terrain. History books tell us of a cataclysmic event that wiped out all the dinosaurs that walked the face of the earth, except one – the crocodile.

Very little is known about these prehistoric monsters regarded as the world’s most adaptable creatures. They can live on land, in fresh water, salty water and desert caves.

But what is it about this creature that makes it master of time and evolution? Could it be that there is more to the crocodile than meets the eye?

The largest crocodile ever documented weighed over 1,000 KG and was over 6 M in length. Now, if that is not a dinosaur, then I do not know what is – after all I was not around when they roamed the earth. The caveman has not provided much help by way of writing. If only FaceBook had come earlier!

When we look at the feeding habits of the crocodile, we see that it can stay for months without food and when he decides to eat, all hell breaks loose. Maybe this is what kept him alive during those harsh times with other dinosaurs. Can you imagine a life where every animal has the ability to kill you and wants you for supper?

Maybe the crocodile was the easiest prey to capture, since it could not run very fast. Although it can swim very fast at average speeds of 35 KM/H, I would imagine there were creatures in the water that would make a speed boat look like a canoe. Maybe the crocodile would wait until all the animals were asleep and scavenge the kills the predators left behind.

Afterwards, he would take in as much heat as he could and return to the mushy grounds until he was hungry again. Or perhaps, the crocodile was not always a cold-blooded animal.

He thrived on land and was one of the fiercest animals to come by. With a bite force like his, and short surprising bursts of speed, he could easily have been a formidable predator, killing prey and eating huge chunks of meat and then retreating to his hideout for several months.

So when the event came and the dinosaurs were all dead, he had to adapt to water – reliant on oxygen, but living in entirely different surroundings. As much as we would love to uncover the mysteries of the crocodile, he is still an elusive creature.

The most we know is, as long as the world keeps changing, the crocodile will change with it. What’s your take on this?