Photo Taken From http://animals.nationalgeographic.com

by Mark Homann, certified safari guide

The Nile crocodile is a top-of-the-line predator with very few predators of its own. Although the largest record found of the Nile crocodile was in Lake Victoria, Tanzania, measuring 21 ft. in length and weighing 2400 lbs, it’s rare to find these creatures over 16 ft. in length. A crocodile this large must have been very old—likely over 100 years.

They are sexually dimorphic animals, meaning that the male is 30% smaller than the female. One of the advantages to this is that it allows the female to lay more eggs—up to 80 at times.

Unlike other crocodiles the Nile crocodile doesn’t incubate their eggs in rotting vegetation. Rather, they burry them near water in holes dug about 20 in. deep. The gender of the offspring is determined by the temperature in the nest. If the temperature reaches below 89 degrees Fahrenheit, the egg will yield a male and if the nest reaches above 94 degrees Fahrenheit, the egg will yield a female. Although the mother doesn’t incubate the eggs, she does stay close by to guard them from predators, and will continue to protect them for the first two years of their life.

The anatomy of the crocodile makes them a ferocious predator. They are capable of feeding on animals as large as the Cape buffalo and, similar to birds, they have a 4-chambered heart that allows for highly oxygenated blood to pass through, enabling them to stay under water for up to two hours in extreme circumstances.

Their exothermic or cold-blooded metabolism allows them to go for very long periods of time without food. In fact, in the Mara river of Kenya, crocodiles are thought to eat once a year when the wildebeest migration comes through. When crocodiles do eat, they can eat half their body weight in one meal.

During the 1960s, the Nile crocodile faced extinction in many areas of Africa due to hunting and poaching for their skins. But, with the development of a sustainable crocodile farming industry, their numbers have thrived. So, be careful next time you dangle your toes in the water.

They lurk quietly through rivers and are camouflaged by canopying trees, attack with intense force, and during leisure time, enjoy basking on riverbanks beneath the blistering sun. The crocodile, known by its vicious, man-eating reputation, is one of Africa’s most mesmerizing creatures.

Famous for being the largest crocodilian species in Africa, the Nile crocodile can grow up to 20 ft. long and weigh up to 1,650 lbs.! Average length though is usually 16 ft. and typical weight is 500 lbs.

Equipped with a gaping and powerful jaw lined with large, deadly teeth, the crocodile can easily attack and kill its oblivious prey. Crocodiles have been known to attack very large creatures such as zebra and buffalo. When crocodiles attack large prey, it usually occurs when the prey is drinking from the river, unaware of the danger lurking beneath the water on the river’s edge that’s planning its attack.

Here are 10 crocodile facts you might not know:

1. Nile crocodiles often eat up to half their body weight during one feeding. That means they can ingest over 250 lbs. of food in one sitting.

2. Crocodiles have been worshiped by some, including Egyptians. During several Egyptian tomb discoveries, explorers found mummified crocodiles and crocodile eggs.

3. The current record for largest crocodile was found in Queensland, Australia, in the year 1957. The crocodile was 28 ft. long, and weighed 2,870 lbs.

4. The Nile crocodile lives in rivers, freshwater marshes, and mangrove swamps of sub-Saharan Africa, making a canoe safari the perfect way to observe these spectacular creatures. There is no need to worry about danger though when on an African canoe safari, crocodiles don’t attack canoes!

5. Crocodiles spin around vigorously to tear chunks off of their prey after the initial attack.

6. Crocodiles typically eat fish, but have been known to eat anything large that crosses the forbidden threshold. Nile crocodiles have attacked and eaten zebra, small hippos, birds, buffalo, and porcupine. They’ll stop at nothing—they’ll even eat other crocodiles.

7. Crocodiles have been around since the dinosaurs and have changed very little since then.

8. Crocodiles are more closely related to birds and dinosaurs than most other reptiles.

9.  Nile crocodiles are actually quite caring when it comes to their young. Mother and father crocodiles guard their eggs with great care and roll the eggs in their mouths to help the little crocs out when they’re having trouble budding from the egg.

10. Crocodiles tend to attract cleaning services. While cooling off with their mouths open, crocodiles welcome birds to eat the remains of food off of their teeth and skin.

Discover the mysteries of Africa’s most famous rivers on an African family safari or honeymoon safari. Expert guides lead you safely through winding channels by canoe and open your eyes to creatures hiding in the bush and relaxing in the water. Don’t miss out on the African canoe safari of a lifetime. Let Hills of Africa Travel plan the perfect African safari trip for you. Contact us today at (877) 845-4802. We’ll create a completely personalized itinerary for you and your loved ones. We’re looking forward to making your dreams come true . . .