Nile crocodiles react to the cries of infants from species like bonobos, chimpanzees, and humans.
Researchers played audio recordings of infants crying to the carnivorous crocodiles and discovered they were drawn to those in the most distress.
While humans primarily responded to the pitch of the cries, crocodiles responded based on levels of "deterministic chaos, harmonicity, and spectral prominences."
Nile crocodiles can grow to about 20 feet long and can weigh up to 1,650 pounds, per National Geographic.
According to the publication, Nile crocodiles generally live close to humans, meaning encounters happen relatively often.
Persons:
–
Organizations:
Service, Royal Society B, Royal, Geographic
Locations:
Wall, Silicon, CrocoParc, Agadir, Morocco, Saharan Africa, Madagascar