Baby crocodiles 'chat' before hatching

The baby crocodiles began talking to each other and to their mother just before getting out of the eggshell, perhaps a sign that it was time to be born.

These little crocodiles make "umph! Umph! Umph!" Sounds, right before they hatch, Amelie Vergne and Nicolas Mathevon from Jean Monnet University in Saint-Etienne, France, announced.

"Mother crocodiles react strongly to this pre-hatch sound of the children, mostly by digging into the sand," the authors write.

The team examined 10 crocodiles and their eggs, recorded the sounds that the children created and then played back, along with other random sounds, for the children to hear.

"In the zoo where we do the experiments, the eggs are taken away just a few days after the birth. But despite that, the mother continues to protect her nest."

Baby crocodiles signal each other to bloom simultaneously.(Photo: Reuters)

8 mother crocodiles heard the exact "umph" of their children immediately digging their nest, while the rest of them heard random sounds, they did nothing.

Mathevon said many young reptiles were eaten right after birth, so it may be important that they hatch together and the mother must be present at that time.

"In this sense, it is important that all embryos in the nest are ready to hatch at the same time, so they will receive the care and protection of adults," the author commented.