NASA's Perseverance Rover Spots 'Crocodile Bridge' On Mars. What Is It?

NASA's Perseverance rover used the Mastcam-Z camera system to capture a sweeping 360-degree panorama of a geologically rich region nicknamed "Crocodile Bridge" on the rim of Jezero Crater, offering scientists a rare look at some of the oldest terrain in the solar system. As mentioned by the US-based space agency, the panorama was made up of 980 images, including the 971 pictures that were taken on December 18, 2025. The remaining nine were taken on January 25, 2026. NASA processed the view in natural colour to show the landscape as the human eye would see it.

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What is a Crocodile Bridge?

"Crocodile Bridge" sits at a critical transition between Jezero Crater's floor and its rim. Scientists believe the rocks here are among the oldest on Mars, dating back to the Noachian period over 3.7 billion years ago, before water filled the crater and before the impact that created Jezero itself.

"Jezero Crater's rim and the regions around it hold some of the oldest rocks anywhere in the solar system; they serve as time capsules of the Red Planet's early history, when its crust and atmosphere were still forming," NASA said.

This image shows an anaglyph red-colour view of the enhanced version of the panorama.
Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS

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Because Mars lacks tectonic plates, this ancient material has been preserved. No terrain this old exists on Earth, where plate tectonics constantly recycle the surface.

The feature is a rugged, arch-shaped rock formation that, to some, resembles the back of a crocodile. As per NASA, the "Crocodile Bridge" represents a transition into an area nicknamed "Lac de Charmes", which the rover will explore for several months later this year.

Perseverance is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is part of the Mars 2020 mission and NASA's Mars Exploration Program.

As the rover moves into Lac de Charmes, it will continue studying whether Mars was habitable in its earliest days, whether "Crocodile Bridge" holds answers about the history and origin of Mars.