IMAGINE If You Were Swallowed by a Crocodile

It can swallow entire gazelles, turtles, and even lions. This is the Nile crocodile, the most dangerous crocodile in the world. It normally preys on animals found in Africa, It normally preys on animals found in Africa, but now, it's coming for you.

If you think something like this is impossible, think again. Crocodile attacks are more common than shark attacks. And these attacks are responsible for nearly 1,000 fatalities a year. So what would happen if you were one of these attacks? Would you be able to survive?

First, let's get to know a little bit more about this First, let's get to know a little bit more about this creature who's coming after you. The Nile crocodile is typically found in Africa, but has also been seen in Florida in the United States. These crocodiles are incredibly aggressive, and are responsible for over 300 attacks on people every year. What might make it so aggressive is its size. The Nile crocodile can grow up to 6 meters (20 ft) long and weigh up to 550 kg (1,212 lbs). All this combined makes it the most dangerous crocodile on Earth. And now, it's coming to swallow you whole.

You'd first get attacked by the crocodile somewhere along a river. And it's likely this would happen between December and May, since that's the crocodiles breeding season. As you're walking along the river, the crocodile would stalk you, waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack. You probably wouldn't notice the croc. And even if you did, it might be hard to get away from it, as the Nile croc can run up to18 km/h (11mph) on land. And as it caught up to you, it would strike at your leg with its massive jaw, applying 3,500 kg (5,000 lbs) of pressure. This would break your leg, preventing you from getting away. And now the crocodile could drag you into the river, where it likes to do the rest of it's eating.

Now that you're in the water with the crocodile biting into your leg, it would begin to roll you around in the water. This is it attempting to disorient and drown you. And at this point, you'd be passed out. And now that you're not moving, the Nile croc would swallow your body whole. You would pass through the crocodile's esophagus, and into its stomach.

But wait, this is a lot of food. Not every animal would be able to eat something like this, so how can the crocodile? Well, the crocodile's stomach is unique. That's because these creatures swallow rocks to help break up their food. And that's why the crocodile didn't need to chew you. While you're inside the crocodile's stomach, you'd be smashed by all these rocks. And with that, your body would be broken up into smaller chunks. Rocks aren't the only thing that would help the croc digest you. Inside the crocodile's body is a heart valve that they control with their nerves. Instead of this valve going to the crocodile's lungs, it goes to the stomach. This allows the crocodile to produce 10x more gastric acid compared to other animals.

Over the course of a week, your body would be getting crushed up by all these rocks, and you'd be getting dissolved by the stomach acid. Skin, bones, hair, and all. Then, the crocodile would poop out your remains, and go hunting for its next victim.

So the next time you're near a swampy river, watch out for crocodiles. If you're not careful, they can be pretty dangerous. But you know what's even more dangerous than a Nile crocodile? Terror crocs. But we'll leave that story for another IMAGINATION.