Mass of crocodiles rise for sunshine

A visitor to a crocodile breeding base in Nanjing has uploaded a picture online of a mass of crocodiles rising simultaneously to the surface of a pool at the base, thus sparking much discussion on the Internet, the Yangtse Evening newspaper reports.

The visitor surnamed Xu shot the startling scene on Sunday at the Zixia Lake Crocodiles Breeding Base in Jiangsu Province.

Some netizens are worried that the crocodiles' mass team action may indicate signs of an imminent earthquake or other natural disasters. Some joked that the crocodiles were preparing to attend a meeting or involved in a gang fight. Some guessed that the pool is too crowded and that there isn't enough oxygen under water, forcing the crocs to come up for air.

A person in charge of the breeding base told reporters that crocodiles are cold-blooded and simultaneous action Xu saw was just them enjoying the sunshine. The person added that it has been a common sight at the base for years.

A source at the Nanjing seismological bureau said that the reason for the mass action may be due to fluctuating temperatures as the sun came and went behind clouds and the latest monitoring data shows there is no immediate danger of an earthquake in Nanjing.