How does the freshwater crocodile survive dry seasons in northern Australia?

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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.

In northern Australia, the freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus johnsoni) survives the dry season by seeking shelter in burrows that it digs into sandy riverbanks. Once inside these burrows, the crocodile enters a state of dormancy, remaining there until environmental conditions improve and water supplies are restored.1