Holidaymakers share new video footage of ‘crocodiles’ off Yorkshire coast - but experts are doubtful

Holidaymakers have shared new footage of the two ‘crocodiles’ they believe they spotted last week, off the coast of Yorkshire.

The original video clip went viral as people debated what could be in the water. The sighting was made on 23 September just off the coastline at Blue Dolphin Caravan Park, between Cayton Bay and Filey in Yorkshire.

Sarah Craven was out walking with her family when the footage was captured.

Adrian Latz, Miss Craven’s partner, said: “I 100% believe what I saw swimming was definitely crocodiles.

“The shape, the size and I could clearly see the legs. I really was shocked by what I was witnessing but I knew what I was looking at and it was big crocodiles.”

The Craven family were visiting Scarborough at the end of September and were camping towards the top of the fields at Blue Dolphin Caravan Park, and had walked down the road to the cliff tops.

Miss Craven posted the video to Facebook and our sister title the Scarborough News reported the sighting earlier last week, which has led to numerous people questioning the supposed sighting.

Mr Latz said: “I can’t believe how viral it really has gone but then thinking about it, it is a massive thing really knowing we have crocodiles in our sea.”

Last week, a local reptile told the Scarborough News that the footage did not show crocodiles or alligators due to the temperature of the sea being too cold meaning that crocodiles would lose function of their bodies due to the cold, and potentially die.

A fish biologist from Australia also got in touch with NationalWorld, to suggest that the footage may in fact show “Atlantic halibut”, a fish that can reach lengths of up to 4.7 m (15 ft).

Mr Latz added: “I suppose everyone has the right to believe what they want and people can have their opinions but they weren't there and I know what we saw with my own eyes.”

Where do crocodiles live in the wild?

A total of 18 different extant species of crocodile have been identified, including the American crocodile, the freshwater crocodile, the dwarf crocodile, the Nile crocodile and the saltwater crocodile.

They can all be found in tropical regions of Africa, Asia, Australia and America - a long way from the North Sea.

They normally live near lakes, rivers, wetlands and even some saltwater regions.

Crocodiles live in tropical climates because they are cold-blooded which means they are unable to generate their own heat.

During colder months, they enter a hibernation-like state of inactivity known as aestivation, which involves slowing down all bodily processes.