Wildlife
Nile Crocodiles in East Africa: The Predators of the River Crossings
Nile crocodiles are Africa's largest reptile and the ambush hunters of the Mara River crossings. How they hunt, how they raise young and where to see them.
The Nile crocodile is Africa’s largest reptile and one of the most powerful predators on safari. Big males can exceed five metres in length. They are most famous for ambushing wildebeest and zebra at the Mara River crossings, but you will see them basking on riverbanks and lake shores across East Africa.
How crocodiles hunt
Crocodiles are ambush predators. They lie motionless in the water with only their eyes and nostrils above the surface, waiting for animals to come to drink or cross. When prey comes close, they lunge with explosive speed, grab it with their powerful jaws and drag it underwater to drown. Large prey is torn apart by the crocodile spinning in a “death roll”. They also eat fish, which make up much of their diet, as well as birds and smaller animals.
At the migration crossings, many crocodiles gather at the crossing points. They catch far fewer animals than the drama suggests, but the crossings provide an important seasonal feast.
Breeding
Females lay their eggs in holes dug in sandy riverbanks and guard the nest for about three months. When the eggs hatch, the mother carries the young to the water in her mouth and protects them for a while. Monitor lizards, hyenas, storks and other predators raid nests and take hatchlings, so few young survive to adulthood.
Staying safe
Crocodiles are responsible for many attacks on people in Africa. Never swim in rivers or lakes, stay well back from the water’s edge, and follow your guide’s advice on walks and boat trips.
Where to see crocodiles
- Kenya: the Mara River, Mzima Springs in Tsavo West, the Galana River in Tsavo East, Lake Baringo and Lake Turkana.
- Tanzania: the Grumeti and Mara rivers in the Serengeti, the Rufiji River in Nyerere and the Katuma River in Katavi.
- Uganda: the Nile below Murchison Falls, home to some very large crocodiles, and the Kazinga Channel.
Read our guides to the Mara River crossings and the Western Corridor.
We plan private safaris across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda, and write from time spent in these parks.
