A viral video captured the second a crocodile did an "elevator butt" identical to home home cats.

The video, initially taken by Ask Nature and reposted to Twitter by Dr Wildlife, reveals a crocodile being brushed on its again. Because it continues to be brushed, the crocodile raises its again.

"That is the spot, good woman!" the person brushing might be heard saying.

The video has been reposed throughout social media and has gone viral

That is much like what cats do when they're brushed in the identical spot. When cats do that, it's often an indication of delight and happiness.

Whereas it's unclear whether or not crocodiles get pleasure from being scratched and petted as a lot because the home home cat, the response is attributable to related nerves within the physique.

Lindsey Lawson, a reptile conservationist and member of the USA Affiliation of Reptile Keepers, instructed Newsweek this conduct is attributable to a typical "pure reflex."

"[The video] was so cute! The bony protrusions or scutes on the pores and skin of alligators and different crocodilians are stuffed with nerve endings. They're tremendous delicate to stress and vibration, which is why the alligator within the video is appearing very like a cat or a canine after they get their behind scratched," Lawson mentioned.

"They might be constructed in another way, however this response is a pure reflex to nerve stimulation that's seen throughout the animal kingdom."

The viral footage has additionally been reposted to Reddit with the caption, "necessary data, crocodiles do elevator butt like cats," and has a 95 % upvote on the platform.

One reddit consumer, acfox13 commented: "Or do cats do elevator butts like crocodiles?!"

Responding, one other consumer boxyboxcmcbox mentioned: "I feel the crocodiles developed first, so I feel you could be onto one thing right here."

Pr1ntscreen then famous that fashionable crocodiles have been on the planet "longer than grass"—the primary crocodilians walked the earth round 95 million years in the past.

Nonetheless, Reddit consumer Mr_Stoney mentioned whereas crocodiles developed first, there would have been "no people from which to offer skritches."

"So, its extra probably the primary elevator butt was from a cat, and even probably a canine," they mentioned.

Whereas it's unclear the place this behaviour stemmed from, it's not the primary time crocodilians have been noticed having fun with one of these human interplay.

In 2021, video posted to Instagram by California's The Reptile Zoo went viral, after exhibiting two alligators having fun with chin scratches from their human handler.

Within the video, the 2 alligators lean their heads over the sting of the tank whereas their handler sticks one hand underneath every of their chins and provides them a scratching.

She pulls her arms away, nevertheless, when the alligator on the left seems to go for her hand, almost nipping it.

Cat and croc
A inventory picture of a cat (left) reveals it elevating its hindquarters whereas stretching. Crocodiles have been noticed displaying related behaviors. RobertPetrovic left) AppleZoomZoom (proper