EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, Fla. – A famous Florida crocodile named “Croczilla” was captured on video basking in the sunshine and smiling for the camera when it was spotted on the banks of a lake inside Everglades National Park earlier this month.
“Croczilla,” deemed the largest crocodile in the area at an estimated 14 feet long, was captured on video by photographer Kymberly Clark.
She said she had been trying to “get a glimpse” of the massive crocodile and was preparing to give up and go home when she suddenly saw what she had been looking for.
“I was shocked to see the infamous Croczilla, not at a distance, but immediately in front of me on the shore, peacefully basking in the sun,” Clark told Storyful.
She added that she initially didn’t think the crocodile looked real and loved how easily Floridians coexist with wildlife.
“These kayakers got in and paddled off within feet of this 14-foot crocodile who is as large as their kayaks,” she said.
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American crocodiles look mean and menacing, but the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says they’re a shy and reclusive species.
They live in brackish or saltwater areas and can be found inside ponds, coves, creeks and in mangrove swamps, according to the FWC.
Crocodiles regulate their body temperature by either basking in the sunshine or moving to areas with warmer or cooler air or water temperatures.
The FWC says basking crocodiles may be scared when someone approaches and will quickly and noisily enter the water.
That may startle someone walking by, but the FWC says crocodiles would generally get into the water quietly, and splashing around indicates the crocodile is scared.
They’re also often seen basking in the sunshine with their mouths open, like in the video above, which helps them regulate their body temperature.
It doesn’t mean they’re acting aggressively toward humans.
So, what do they eat? The FWC says the crocodile’s diet includes small mammals, birds, frogs, turtles and fish.