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How do mother crocodiles help their hatchlings leave the nest?

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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.

Mother crocodiles provide significant parental care to assist their hatchlings in leaving the nest. As the eggs approach the end of their 55- to 100-day incubation period, the developing young begin to emit chirping and squeaking sounds from within their shells.12

These vocalizations signal the mother, who remains nearby to protect the nest from predators. In response, she uncovers the eggs by removing the soil or vegetation covering them. To further assist the process, the mother may carefully open the eggshells using her tongue. Once the hatchlings have emerged, she carries them to the water in her mouth, where she continues to provide protection for several months.12