Swimming with crocodiles - How is that even possible?

[MathHelp]

Hi team,

I have seen quite a few videos on Youtube where people are swimming in waterways that have crocodiles in them. For example:

Diver Has Lucky Escape From Crocodile | Super Giant Animals | BBC Earth - YouTube

How is this possible? Are the divers just incredibly lucky? My best guess is that perhaps crocodiles are not as dangerous as I thought and perhaps they only eat at certain times of the year/day. I assume it would have to be more than a mere tendency for them to only eat/hunt at certain times. I wouldn't be willing to enter the water with them on the basis of some rule that "in general they only hunt/eat in spring" or "in general they only hunt/eat in the mornings".

Even if the divers are using behavioural knowledge of the crocodiles to swim when it is "safe", how safe it it? Do scientists who study crocodiles routinely jump in the water with them?

Like I said earlier, this is not the first video I have seen and I have seen some where the crocodiles are huge.

[CharonY]

Generally speaking, it is not safe to be in close proximity to any predator. Crocodiles are mostly opportunistic hunters and can go for long stretches before feeding. Unless folks have fed them or have observed them feeding I would guess that there is no easy way to predict potential attack pattern. I also doubt that scientists would get into close contact with them without security measures.

Jumping into the water with them would not be studying them, it would at minimum interfere with them.

[John Cuthber]

Reminds me of selling nuclear shelters...

No dissatisfied customers ever complained.

[Moontanman]

I've swam with alligators before but they are not as aggressive as crocodiles.