Canine Pack Mentality

Pack of Dogs Attacking a Crocodile near Cairns, Australia.

At times nature can seem to be very cruel, but there is also a raw beauty and even a certain justice manifested within that 'cruelty'. The crocodile, one of the nature's most powerful, ultimate predators, normally considered an "apex predator", can still fall victim to implemented 'team strategy', made possible by the tight knit social structure and "survival-of-the-pack mentality" which evolved in canines. Check out the remarkable photograph attached, courtesy of Nature Magazine. Note that the Alpha dog has a muzzle hold on the crocodile preventing it from breathing, while another dog has a hold on the tail to keep it from thrashing. The third dog attacks the crocodile's soft underbelly.

Warning: this photo may be too graphic for some viewers.