The Crocodiles of Upper Nile River and Central Africa

The Nile crocodile competes with the smaller slender-snouted crocodile (upper left skull) in part of its environment, and with the dwarf crocodile (not pictured) in other parts. It’s one of only two crocodilians (the other being the saltwater croc) that can legitimately be called “man-eating” - they live in close proximity to people and end up killing several hundred a year, many for the express purpose of consumption (not in defense or over territorial protection, like most species).

In ancient Egypt, the demoness of the judgement hall, Ammut, had the head of a crocodile. She was the “devourer of the dead”, and ate the hearts of evildoers deemed unworthy. The crocodile was also considered sacred to the god Sobek, and the temples to Sobek typically had sacred lakes, where crocodiles were fed and cared for.

**Don’t forget that the Upper Nile is actually the Southern part - it flows into the Mediterranean, northwards.

I know it looks like a deformed hog/polar bear lovechild is eating a cross between a mole and an opossum, but it’s actually a hippo attacking a Nile crocodile, as hippos are wont to do from time to time.

“L’histoire naturelle des estranges poissons marin, avec le vrai peincture & description du Daulphin, & de plusiers autres de son espace.” by Pierre Belon, 1551.