Cuckoo Croc

Few wild beasts come as fearsome and cuckoo crazy as the cuckoo croc. These colorful and wacky crocodilians will devour anything they can catch and crush in their hyper chopping jaws full of vicious teeth. They range in size between 10 and 30 feet in length though even bigger ones have been reported. Why they're such energetic spazoids is unknown, but it's theorized to have something to do with either random biological crap or the consumption of certain prey animals.

## Description

Cuckoo crocs are mainly colored blue with yellowish stripes on their backs, but they can also come in red or purple coloring. Their large heads and massive toothy jaws make up almost half their total body length, and they use those immensely powerful chompers to maximum effect biting down with a force rivaled only the Anjanath. Long, muscular tails propel them in the water as they swim, but they're equally effective moving around on land just like most crocodilians. Cuckoo crocs are native to the swampier portions of Primania, but they also have small populations in Hilnburgia and Llebocat. As hyper carnivore both metaphorically and literally, cuckoo crocs have a broad menu of prey items to choose from, but their favorite prey includes the manic macaque and even the Thunder Fart Frog; the latter's electric farts are not very effective against a cuckoo croc. Crack Crabs are also commonly eaten if found making the cuckoo croc a great way to get rid of feral crabs running amuck outside their native swamps in Llebocat. Powerful jaws that rapidly and repeatedly bite almost nonstop, super high energy, great agility in water, durable scaly skin, and surprising intelligence make the cuckoo croc a ferocious top order carnivore in its swamp forest habitat. Their only real predator is the Anjanath, but even that can't make an easy meal out of a cuckoo croc and will prefer more land based and not so crazy prey.

## Useful Tips

Cuckoo crocs are absolutely nutty units! But that does not make them unstoppable.

1. As mentioned earlier, the one other beast that can turn a cuckoo croc from the hunter to the hunted is the Anjanath. If you have a tamed one, that'll take care of the croc no problem.
2. If you can grab them, holding or tying the jaws shut will ensure that the cuckoo croc cannot open them and bite. But keep in mind the rest of their long, muscular body can still shake itself free.
3. Cuckoo crocs hate bananas! Throwing one at a cuckoo croc or whacking it with one can drive it off; especially if you use a whole bunch of bananas. If it slips on a banana peel, it'll throw a blind raging tantrum and give you an open opportunity to either attack or capture it.
4. Croc shoes and veggie burgers drive cuckoo crocs so crazy that go into a blind fury just like when they slip on banana peels. Although who wouldn't throw a bloody tantrum over a freaking veggie burger? It's not even a burger!
5. Never act like a monkey (or an ape) if you don't want a cuckoo croc to pursue you relentlessly until it eats you.
6. Cuckoo crocs are ravenous creatures, and baiting them with meat or live prey is super effective. Sometimes though, experienced individuals may know it's a trap and not fall for it.
7. As well as bananas, cuckoo crocs are also vulnerable to cold damage and bathroom humor.
8. Feeding a cuckoo croc and or playing 90s classics never fail to help tame it.

## Significance to WTF Culture

The psychotic energy and hyperactive carnivory of the cuckoo croc make it an iconic animal in the WTF Realms; as if the fact that it's basically a super energized crocodile wasn't enough to make it such a popular animal. A goofy appearance masking its true ferocity and predatory cunning make it a prime subject for memes and legends as well as emblems on warriors' shields or flags similarly to the Anjanath and other wacky looking or acting beasts. Ancient cultures used their fierce teeth to make blades or arrowheads, and the practice is still used sometimes to this day though in moderation as to not endanger the species. The possibility that the cuckoo croc's liking for eating manic macaques and crack crabs gives them their insane amounts of energy is commonly referenced when saying the old phrase 'you are what you eat'. The croc is also made famous for being a major predator to Thunder Fart Frogs to it's resistance their electric fluctuance.

## References

The cuckoo croc is based on the klaptrap from the Donkey Kong franchise. That's because the kremlings kick @$$ as do Donkey Kong Country and other classic Rareware games! The fact that cuckoo crocs love to eat primates but hate bananas also references the kremling's rivalry with the kongs and their theft of DK's golden banana hoard.

Original sauce: https://donkeykong.fandom.com/wiki/Klaptrap