5 ms·

The theory I know is that you (a human) (er presumably) can outrun anything on four legs for a brief period of time. If that's enough to climb a tree (or more l

The theory I know is that you (a human) (er presumably) can outrun anything on four legs for a brief period of time. If that's enough to climb a tree (or more like run up the trunk) then that's probably OK. Crocodiles can't climb trees. In any case, who's climbing? The reason the article's story is "apocryphal" is because even a few hundred crocs would be toast going up against a few hundred men with guns. Or any weapon really. Crocs are fast but humans are smart and can work together. Like your grandfather's story goes to show. The somewhat sad truth is that we are the apex predator and the deadliest animal on the planet (yeah, including mosquitoes; humans have killed many more humans than mosquitoes have).

ArthurStacks 2y ago
The event happened. The only part that was never known is how many specifically were killed by the crocodiles, vs the sharks (yes there was sharks also), dehydration or their wounds. Guns didnt help them because it was a dense swamp, up to their waist in water in places, and at the times they were attacked, pitch black, against a fast moving animal they couldnt see. On top of that they had largely abandoned their equipment before entering.
jojo2354 2y ago
Not to mention to the other comment, the guns these soldiers had weren't submachine guns and modern box magazine semi-auto rifles, 90% of those guys had type 99 or type 38 Arisakas. 5 round stripper clip fed rifles aren't much use when you're being terrorized by something lurking in the water....
cycomanic 2y ago
The theory is the other way around AFAIK. Humans can outrun essentially every land animal if they chase for long enough (most animals have much worse thermal management so they will have to stop after a while to cool down). That allowed early humans to bring down much faster and larger prey, essentially chasing them to exhaustion.
- whyenot 2y ago
  Yes, it is called persistence hunting, and humans are very well adapted to this style of hunting because of our ability to shed heat and run/walk very efficiently. Wolves are another animal that has this behavior. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persistence_hunting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persistence_hunting
  - optimalsolver 2y ago
    Also African painted dogs.
- deepsun 2y ago
  Yes, but not every land animal, some can outrun Homo on the long distances as well (wolves, horses, deer). Mammoth couldn't and died. Moose cannot as well, but survived somehow.
  - cenamus 2y ago
    I actually highly doubt that a deer would fare better than a trained human on 50+km, but can't provide any sources
  - panick21_ 2y ago
    Actually a human and horses on long distances aren't that different. I don't know about wolves, but seems like they would overheat.
    - cjrp 2y ago
      Indeed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_versus_Horse_Marathon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_versus_Horse_Marathon
      - panick21_ 2y ago
        That's still a pretty short distances. I think in Ultramarathon, humans would win.
keepamovin 2y ago
Not true. Bears, dogs, horses, are all faster. We can work together tho
CyberDildonics 2y ago
Er presumably that would mean people are faster than horses and cheetahs.
macintux 2y ago
Outrunning a crocodile might be possible on dry land, but how often will you be running from one outside a swampy area?

ArthurStacks 2y ago

The event happened. The only part that was never known is how many specifically were killed by the crocodiles, vs the sharks (yes there was sharks also), dehydration or their wounds. Guns didnt help them because it was a dense swamp, up to their waist in water in places, and at the times they were attacked, pitch black, against a fast moving animal they couldnt see. On top of that they had largely abandoned their equipment before entering.

jojo2354 2y ago

Not to mention to the other comment, the guns these soldiers had weren't submachine guns and modern box magazine semi-auto rifles, 90% of those guys had type 99 or type 38 Arisakas. 5 round stripper clip fed rifles aren't much use when you're being terrorized by something lurking in the water....

cycomanic 2y ago

The theory is the other way around AFAIK. Humans can outrun essentially every land animal if they chase for long enough (most animals have much worse thermal management so they will have to stop after a while to cool down). That allowed early humans to bring down much faster and larger prey, essentially chasing them to exhaustion.

whyenot 2y ago
Yes, it is called persistence hunting, and humans are very well adapted to this style of hunting because of our ability to shed heat and run/walk very efficiently. Wolves are another animal that has this behavior. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persistence_hunting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persistence_hunting
- optimalsolver 2y ago
  Also African painted dogs.
deepsun 2y ago
Yes, but not every land animal, some can outrun Homo on the long distances as well (wolves, horses, deer). Mammoth couldn't and died. Moose cannot as well, but survived somehow.
- cenamus 2y ago
  I actually highly doubt that a deer would fare better than a trained human on 50+km, but can't provide any sources
- panick21_ 2y ago
  Actually a human and horses on long distances aren't that different. I don't know about wolves, but seems like they would overheat.
  - cjrp 2y ago
    Indeed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_versus_Horse_Marathon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_versus_Horse_Marathon
    - panick21_ 2y ago
      That's still a pretty short distances. I think in Ultramarathon, humans would win.

keepamovin 2y ago

Not true. Bears, dogs, horses, are all faster. We can work together tho

CyberDildonics 2y ago

Er presumably that would mean people are faster than horses and cheetahs.

macintux 2y ago

Outrunning a crocodile might be possible on dry land, but how often will you be running from one outside a swampy area?