Climate change could make a meal of baby crocodiles, with warmer water slashing the amount of time they can hide underwater to avoid being eaten.

Juvenile crocs rely on fright-dives to escape their natural predators including birds of prey, large fish, freshwater turtles, and larger crocs.

A study has found warmer water reduces the amount of time a juvenile crocodile can spend underwater hiding from predators.

But a study shows that in warmer water - an inevitable result of climate change - the young crocodiles are having to spend more time on the surface.

University of Queensland researcher Craig Franklin says that could threaten survival rates as the climate continues to warm.