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Can crocodiles recognize people who care for them in captivity?

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Illustration of an estuarine or saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) with its mouth open, showing scaly skin and powerful limbs, alongside a scale bar for size reference. — crocodile Estuarine, or saltwater, crocodile (*Crocodylus porosus*), found in brackish waters from Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar east to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu and south to Australia.

Yes, captive crocodiles are capable of recognizing their keepers. Although their brains are relatively small compared to their body size, crocodiles demonstrate complex behaviors and are often curious.

In captivity, individuals of some species have been observed to recognize the people who care for them, showing neither fear nor aggressiveness toward them. In these settings, the animals may even beg for food or allow themselves to be petted by their keepers.1