New research uncovers surprising crocodile 'love languages'

Crocodiles may not be cute and cuddly to all but the surprisingly romantic reptile has been found to have its own love languages, researchers have said.

University of the Sunshine Coast honours student Sonnie Flores has collected the ways crocodiles show their love by recording their habitats at Australia Zoo.

However, instead of physical touch or quality time, crocodiles were found to prefer hissing, blowing bubbles and growling.

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"There's a lot of courtship," Flores told 9News.

"These are things that males do primarily towards females and the females just love it."

The study found crocodiles are more sociable and tolerant of one another than previously thought.

"We have only just touched the tip of the iceberg with what we know about crocodile communication between each other," Flores said.

To better understand the apex predator, scientists at the university are compiling a "crocodile dictionary".

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"You hear these growls, you hear these slaps, you hear these hisses and we're finding that it's the crocodiles making these calls," UniSC ecologist Ross Dwyer said.

The researchers are working with Australia Zoo to help people fall in love with the misunderstood reptile.

"Something that we are very passionate about here at the zoo is helping to dispel myths about them," the zoo's crocodile research team leader Toby Millyard said.

"They're not the evil monster they're made out to be.

"People are never going to love an animal they don't understand."