Killer Crocodiles!

The crocodiles are plentiful along the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers.  These are all Nile Crocodiles, and they truly are dangerous to humans.  This image was captured by Tom from our safari cruise boat, and you can easily see his massive jaws and teeth.  If any one of us were to fall in the river, we'd be croc meat in a flash!

This one looked like it was coming for us, boat and all!  These crocodiles are massive!  They average 16 feet from tip to tail, and can weigh 500 lbs!  A puny person has virtually no chance of surviving - certainly no chance of surviving intact!

The Nile Crocodile's conical teeth are designed to penetrate the flesh of it's prey, and it is almost impossible to loosen it's grip.  It will grab on to larger prey (including lions, buffalo, and even small hippos!) and spin them underwater until the prey drowns.

Their scaly skin is impenetrable without lethal weapons, and I can't imagine how one could shoot a croc that has a human in it's jaws without shooting the human, too!

I like this photo because the croc appears to be smiling slyly.  It also illustrates the camouflage of these reptiles, which makes them even more dangerous!  

The rivers we traveled were teeming with crocodiles.  One guide told us that there was a crocodile every 50 feet along the river, if not more.  You don't see that many because they don't want to be seen.  Nile crocodiles hunt by ambush, and they lie motionless and invisible until their hapless prey wanders within range.  Personally, I saw enough crocodiles to last me a while; I don't need to imagine hundreds more  lying in wait for me!