Do crocodiles eat rocks ? If they do why?

 

Crocodiles sometimes eat, or rather “swallow,” whole stones, even large ones. This habit, shared with other animals (including some birds), is due to the fact that the stones in question, called gastroliths (or “stomach stones”), once in the stomach, help to crush the food, facilitating its digestion.
In fact, as surprising as it may seem, crocodiles' large teeth are not used for chewing, but only for gripping prey and cutting it into large pieces, which are then swallowed whole. At this point, gastroliths, like millstones, help break down the meat and bones of their prey.
So, when the crocodile catches its prey and swallows it, it goes whole into its stomach. That's when the stones accumulated there start to work to crush the food in question.
Scientists also believe that the stones make them feel full, that is, they feel more satisfied with their food and don't need to hunt as often, which prevents them from expending too much energy.

Presented by writer Gomba