Crocodile Does Elevator Butt Just Like Cat in Viral Video

A viral video captured the moment a crocodile did an "elevator butt" just like domestic house cats. The video, originally taken by Ask Nature and reposted to Twitter by Dr Wildlife, shows a crocodile being brushed on its back. As it continues to be brushed, the crocodile raises its back. "That's the spot, good girl!" the man brushing can be heard saying. This is similar to what cats do when they are brushed in the same spot. When cats do this, it is usually a sign of pleasure and happiness. While it is unclear whether crocodiles enjoy being scratched and petted as much as the domestic house cat, the reaction is caused by similar nerves in the body. Lindsey Lawson, a reptile conservationist and member of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers, told Newsweek this behavior is caused by a common "natural reflex." "[The video] was so cute! The bony protrusions or scutes on the skin of alligators and other crocodilians are full of nerve endings. They are super sensitive to pressure and vibration, which is why the alligator in the video is acting much like a cat or a dog when they get their behind scratched," Lawson said. "They may be built differently, but this reaction is a natural reflex to nerve stimulation that is seen across the animal kingdom." The viral footage has also been reposted to Reddit with the caption, "important information, crocodiles do elevator butt like cats," and has a 95 percent upvote on the platform. One reddit user, acfox13 commented: "Or do cats do elevator butts like crocodiles?!" Responding, another user boxyboxcmcbox said: "I think the crocodiles evolved first, so I think you may be onto something here."

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Pr1ntscreen then noted that modern crocodiles have been on the planet "longer than grass"—the first crocodilians walked the earth around 95 million years ago. However, Reddit user Mr_Stoney said while crocodiles evolved first, there would have been "no humans from which to give skritches." "So, its more likely the first elevator butt was from a cat, or even possibly a dog," they said. While it is unclear where this behaviour stemmed from, it is not the first time crocodilians have been observed enjoying this type of human interaction. In 2021, video posted to Instagram by California's The Reptile Zoo went viral, after showing two alligators enjoying chin scratches from their human handler. In the video, the two alligators lean their heads over the edge of the tank while their handler sticks one hand under each of their chins and gives them a scratching. She pulls her hands away, however, when the alligator on the left appears to go for her hand, nearly nipping it.