All you need to know about Nile Crocodiles

Nile crocodiles are an enigma, fascinating many because of their presence in the most important Egyptian river, Nile. These crocodiles, like many of their counterparts, were feared by many living near the shores. The waters of the Nile contained a large number of these crocodiles that led to the crocodiles being worshipped as god by the ancient Egyptians. The god of the Crocodiles was called Sobek. Sobek was worshipped with a crocodile face on a human body and he represented the four elemental gods (Ra-fire, Shu-air, Geb-Earth, and Osiris-water). Sobek was also associated with the power of the pharaoh as well as for fertility and protection.

The scientific name of the Nile crocodile is Crocodylus niloticus and they are dark coloured with spots on the back and the belly. The spots on the back are black in colour while the spots on the belly are a dirty purple. The Nile crocodiles remain underwater most of the time and they are aided in this process as their eyes, ears and nose are present above their head. The colour of these crocodiles help them in camouflaging, aiding them while approaching prey.

Contrary to the title that these particular species of crocodile have received, these crocodiles are not exclusively found in the river Nile. They are African crocodiles and the natural Nile crocodile habitats are found in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya and of course Egypt. The numbers of these crocodiles in Egypt have greatly reduced after the construction of the Aswan dam on the Nile. These Nile crocodiles are the largest African crocodiles, making these giant crocodiles second only to saltwater crocodiles. Some of the Nile crocodiles truly measured gigantic lengths and the largest crocodile measured extended up to 21 feet and such giant crocodiles were common before crocodiles began to be hunted for their skin and when there was a lot more wetland available for their living. The largest living crocodile is Gustave and the size of this Nile crocodile is over 20 feet. These crocodiles weigh over a 1000 kilograms and are, needless to add, massive in size.

The Nile crocodile food chain has the Nile crocodile right on top and that makes it one of the most feared predators of the region. These crocodiles feed on birds, mammals, fish and reptiles. Any living creature that is the same size or less than the crocodile is effectively a prey for the crocodile. During times of scarcity of fish in the waters, young adult crocodiles venture on to the land and have been found to fight with big cats like lions and leopards to use them as prey. The Nile crocodile circle of life does not normally include big mammals or humans and they largely depend upon fish and small birds for prey. These crocodiles also feed on dead animals thereby preventing the pollution of the waters. As the Nile crocodile is at the top of the food chain, it helps to check the population of other species namely the Barbel catfish. These catfish are large in size and feed on smaller fish, greatly reducing the number of small fish. A large number of birds depend on such small fish for their feed and s o it is important to maintain the numbers of these small fish.

Information about the Nile crocodile include their mode of movement which is usually crawling on its stomach , though it is capable of moving with its trunk above the ground, a movement termed “high walking”. These crocodiles can also move at speeds of up to 12 Km/h, sometimes even up to 14 Km/h, but these bursts of speed are only for a short period. Younger crocodiles have been found to gallop. They can survive underwater for as long as 2 hours and can remain for a long time without food.

These crocodiles have cone shaped teeth with numbers that range around 64 to 68. These teeth help them in biting and chewing the flesh of the prey and the flesh are chewed by performing, what is now termed, the death roll. The death roll is when the flesh is first bitten off the prey and moved around the jaw to break it into smaller pieces to aid in consumption. The life span of this crocodile species is between 70 to 100 years.

This species of crocodile and the spur winged plover bird share a symbiotic relationship called mutualism, which is a type of relationship where both the reptile and the bird benefit from the relationship. The big Nile reptile rests on land with it mouth open, when the Plover bird enters the mouth and pecks at leaches that are present in the mouth and feed on the blood of the crocodile.

The Nile crocodile is becoming increasingly endangered, especially in East Africa, where it shares a large amount of habitat. The numbers have reduced drastically as a result of hunting as well as due to reduced wet land. These situations have led to a number of programmes that are aimed at protecting the crocodiles.

These large Nile reptiles have been hunted for various reasons by humans, including for flesh, skin, supposed curative properties of its various parts and also in cases where they have attacked humans.

Live Nile crocodiles are available for sale and can be purchased from many dealers who sell them for a price. Stuffed Nile crocodiles are also extremely popular with many, who adorn their living rooms with them. Nile crocodile boots and Nile crocodile bags are made from the skin of Nile crocodiles and are sought after by many for their tough leather and added appeal. These crocodile merchandise are available in large numbers in the black market, flouting rules and regulations that have been put forth to curb crocodile poaching in many countries.

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All you need to know about Nile Crocodiles

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