Why do crocodiles roll

All the young boys were with their fathers, learning the ways of manhood. The mothers were preparing for the evening meal. There was fresh fish cooking on the coals, with freshly-caught mud crabs and mussels. Everyone in the group was contented, the season had been good for them.

Plenty of fresh food. Everyone except little Min-na-wee was happy. Min-na-wee was different. From a little girl, Min-na-wee liked to cause trouble amongst the other little girls.

Not only among the little girls, but also their mothers. Years passed and Min-na-wee grew into a young woman, but she still liked to cause trouble. One day all the young women, including Min-na-wee, had to prepare to be selected as brides.

Min-na-wee stood in a line with all the other girls. The old people pointed out which men were to marry which women. By the end of the ceremony, Min-na-wee was left standing alone. She had not been chosen to become a wife. She caused more and more trouble in the camp.

Fights were breaking out every day amongst the tribe. Min-na-wee sat back in her little humpy and watched. She was pleased with herself. As she approached the women to cause another fight, she was grabbed by the men and rolled around and around in the dirt.

She managed to escape and run in to the edge of the sea where she called on the evil spirits to change her into a vicious animal so she could stage a revenge attack on her tribe.

Min-na-wee was changed into a large crocodile and slid into the muddy waters, awaiting her prey. The tribespeople thought no more of Min-na-wee and carried out their daily events. When a croc hunts land animals, he typically waits for them to come to him.

The watering hole is his most fertile feeding ground. Then he flips his tail upward to start his death roll. He also uses his momentum to drag its body downward. The spinning motion of the roll disorientates the prey. The roll is as much an eating as it is a killing technique. Crocs use their roll to thrash their prey against rocks to break up the carcass. Sometimes crocs will wedge the prey between two stones and then roll with the prey in their mouth to snap off bits of meat.

For dismemberment purposes, the roll is as effective on land as it is underwater.