In Gabon, there’s a cave where crocodiles have adapted to living in total darkness. They spend their time eating bats and other small creatures. Scientists are saying they might even become a new species.
The Cave Crocodile’s Life
Along the Atlantic coast of central Africa, in Gabon, there’s a maze-like cave where an unusual kind of crocodile lives underground. No one knows when it moved in, but its existence is unusual.
Diet and Behavior
The crocodiles we know eat fish and any animals they can catch near the water. But these cave crocodiles typically eat bats and crickets. They have an oversupply of food and no predators.
How They Adapt
Their survival depends on their cave diet. They mostly eat insects and bats from the cave walls. In a short amount of time they’ve adapted to a totally different ecosystem.
Their Orange Skin
Their most striking feature is their orange skin. Scientists believe it’s because they’re always lying and swimming in water rich in guano (bat droppings), which have chemicals in them that bleach the crocodiles’ skin.
The Role of Guano
Bat guano is one of the main causes of their irregular physical appearance, as the chemicals in it turn their skin orange. The high levels of urea and ammonia bleach their skin gradually, a similar process to chemical treatments used in leather production.
Genetic Mutation
Their orange skin is not the only original characteristic of these cave crocodiles. Scientists believe they might be changing genetically too. Studies have revealed they have unusual genetic markers compared to forest crocodiles.
What the Research Says
A 2016 study found genetic, health and dietary differences between forest and cave crocodiles, which suggests the cave crocs are evolving to adapt to their isolated environment.
Evolution in Action
These genetic changes could mean they’re evolving into a new species. Being isolated in a cave and having to live off the available prey and environment has limited their gene pool, making them different from other crocodiles.
What Scientists Say
Matthew Shirley, a conservation biologist from Florida International University, believes the cave crocodiles are evolving due to them being cut off from the outside world. However, it isn’t clear how long it will take for them to become an entirely new species.
A Unique Population
Completely isolated from the outside world, these crocodiles are developing characteristics that set them apart from their forest relatives. Over generations, their genetic differences may become even more pronounced.
What’s Next?
Scientists are tracking their evolution. Will they completely change into a new species, or will they stay a strange derivative of the crocodile? We will only know in time.
Cave Crocodiles: A Living Example of Evolution
These cave crocodiles present a surprising insight into evolution happening before our eyes. Considering their diet, their genetics and their orange skin, these crocodiles are proof that species can adapt in extraordinary ways to survive.
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