Tragic hippo tot is tossed around by crocodile after young animal is snatched while its mother had her back turned

By SIMON TOMLINSON

Treated like a rag doll: An enormous crocodile tosses a young hippo calf around in its jaws near Lower Sabie in Kruger National Park Splashing around in the water with macabre glee, a crocodile flings a young hippo calf around in its jaws like a rag doll. The giant predator reared out of the water to reveal the tiny carcass after apparently snatching its prey while its mother's back was turned. Amateur photographer Roland Ross captured these incredible photographs near Lower Sabie in Kruger Park, South Africa.

Hunter and the hunted: The giant predator reared out of the water to reveal the tiny carcass, before tossing it through the air like a toy Mr Ross was watching the huge crocodile swimming in a small dam when he was shocked by the brutal scene. Mr Ross said: 'I could see the croc had something in its mouth as it began to come our way.

Snapped up: Amateur photographer Roland Ross captured these incredible photographs when the crocodile was swimming in a small dam 'The crocodile then began to perform all sorts of antics with the baby hippo. 'It was throwing it in the air, spinning and jumping and splashing.'

Dinner time: Mr Ross watched the crocodile's performance for around 25 minutes before it took its food into deeper water and disappeared from sight Mr Ross, who was on holiday with his wife when the events unfolded, was stunned by the size of the animal as average crocodiles in the area grow to around four meters. Ross said: 'We didn't see any kill take place. The hippo could have been dead for any number of reasons, sometimes male hippos will occasionally kill babies too. Read more at Dailymail.co.uk My Facebook My Google+ Contact me

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One giant leap over the jaws of death: Tiny gazelle escapes hungry crocodiles by jumping straight over them

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

David and Goliath: One of the crocodiles goes in for the kill open-mouthed but the little gazelle escapes with a death-defying jump straight over its head

Some may call it brave, others simply a death wish, but exactly what went through this little gazelle’s head before he decided to jump straight into the jaws of two awaiting crocodiles we will never know.
The petite animal had a lucky escape from the hungry predators after it managed to leap straight over their open mouths.
The incredible scene took place on the banks of the Mara River, in the Masai Mara in Kenya as a herd of Thomson’s gazelles were crossing a river where a group of menacing crocs were lying in wait.

Leap of faith: The gazelle takes the plunge and bounds across the water as two crocodiles approach with menacing-looking grins

Faced with the monstrous predators, which can measure 16 feet in length and weigh a ton, the gazelle’s chances of survival looked slim.
But, incredibly, it jumped clean over them as it bounded across the water.
Photographers Jonathan and Angela Scott were shooting the young Thomson’s gazelles as they navigated their way across the perilous waters of the Mara River attempting to outsmart 12 crocodiles ready for lunch.

Jumpin' Jack Flash: The tiny animal jumps high above the hungry crocodiles but it the gazelle's chance of survival looked slim with the giant predators' jaws snapping underneath it

Mr Scott, 63, said: ‘There are often a number of crocodiles resting in the shallows or on the river bed and if a herd comes down to the river you may get other crocodiles powering through the water to try and catch them if they try and cross.
‘The crocodiles do not lunge out of the water to try and catch the gazelles as they drink because they are very quick and nervous and don't drink for long.
‘Instead, they tend to try and catch them when they are in the water because it's easier.’
The gazelles who come to drink by the river do so during the hottest hours of the day as predators are more likely to be lying in the shade.
Mr Scott added: ‘This particular site is also very dangerous to cross because the other side of the river has a 12 to 18 feet tall bank and it can be hard to find a way out.
‘The antelopes and gazelles sometimes just decide to cross after drinking regardless of how easy it is for them to exit.’

One who dares wins: Against all odds, the gazelle jumped clean over them as it bounded across the water of the the Mara River, in the Masai Mara, Kenya

Mr and Mrs Scott live in Nairobi, Kenya, and have been photographing in the Masai Mara for 35 years.
Mr Scott said: ‘Action is one of the most exciting moments for us as wildlife photographers.
‘Things happen very quickly with wildlife in these kind of “life and death” situations and you have to be ready to capture the moment.
‘You have to know what is going to happen next and be there to photograph it.
‘Predation like this can be harrowing to watch but we have spent so much of our lives in the field that these life and death situations are part of everyday life.
‘To us they seem just part of the natural order rather than horrifying.’

source: dailymail

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Locked in combat: Mother lion takes on deadly crocodile to give cubs safe swim across river

By KERRY MCDERMOTT

Struggle: The power and strength of the mighty lioness is clear to see, but the crocodile fights back, clamping its teeth around the big cat's nose

Scanning the surface of the water, her amber eyes alight upon a threat to her pride - a deadly crocodile lurking in the river that the family of lions must cross.
The fiercely protective lioness did not hesitate, leaping into the water and grappling with the reptile to allow the rest of the pride to cross the river in safety.
These images show the magnificent big cat fastening her front legs around the crocodile's jaws and dunking it underneath the water before making a break for the river bank at the Okavanga Delta in Botswana.

Watchful: The lioness can be seen surveying the water as her pride waits to cross the river in Botswana's Okavango Delta

The lioness' brave diversion tactics were witnessed by wildlife photographer Pia Dierickx, who said the creature moved with such incredible speed she did not realise what had happened until she looked back at the pictures on her camera.
The photographer, from Antwerp in Belgium, had been peacefully observing the lioness and her pride going about their business around the river when the sudden clash between the big cat and the crocodile occurred.
The 48-year-old said the struggle took place within one second.

Lurking: The lioness spots the giant crocodile's head partially submerged in the waters of the river

'I watched a lioness carefully move out into the channel and then there was a huge splash in the water,' she said.
'The sequence of six pictures of the real action were taken in one second.
'Luckily for the lioness the crocodile did not have an opportunity to do the death roll because her mouth was kept closed between the front legs of the lioness,' the photographer added.

Menace: The lioness bares her enormous fangs after spotting the crocodile in the river in Botswana

'It was only after checking my pictures on the camera viewer that I really realised what I had witnessed. Luckily the story had a happy ending because all the lionesses and cubs made it safely to the other bank.'
The crocodile swam away after the incident disturbed an otherwise peaceful day at the Okavanga Delta.

Spring: The lioness springs from the water and into action as she prepares to battle to protect her cubs from the lurking crocodile


Head to head: The photographer who captured these images said the struggle took place within a split second

Protective: The lioness succeeds in forcing the crocodile beneath the water

Escape: Seizing her moment while the reptile is under the water, the lioness makes a break for dry land

Escape: The lioness emerges safely on the other side of the river after bravely battling the crocodile to protect her pride

Diversion: As the lioness struggled with the lurking reptile, the rest of the pride were able to cross the river in safety

Battle wounds: The lioness was left bleeding after the crocodile clamped its jaws around her mouth

source: dailymail

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Survival of the fiercest: Wildebeest takes on 18ft killer crocodile... and there can be only one winner

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Unsteady on his feet: The young wildebeest, already separated from the rest of the herd, is an easy target for the ever-watchful killers beneath the surface of the Mara River in Kenya

As regular as the seasons themselves, herds of wildebeest make an annual migration across east Africa - following rainfall and the growth of new grass.
Exploiting this predictability, each year predators lay in wait until the migrating beasts come into their killing zone.
Day or night, death can come to the young, sick or simply unlucky members of the herd - swiftly from a single cheetah, or without mercy from a pride of lions or pack of hyenas.

Under attack: An 18ft Nile crocodile has targeted the young beast and is using its teeth to injure its prey, as well as its weight and strength to drag it beneath the surface

Dance of death: The wildebeest tries to out-manoeuvre his attacker but has already been badly injured. At one point the crocodile's massive jaw span seems to be taking in the wildebeest's body

For this young male, the end came not on the plains but in one of Kenya's heaving rivers - delivered by one of nature's apex killing machines.
Like all in his herd, the doomed wildebeest was taking his chances crossing the Mara River in the Masai Mara reserve in Kenya.
Unfortunately for him, he walked straight into the path of an 18ft Nile crocodile - a species of predator so efficient that it has barely changed throughout evolution.

Dragged below: Exhausted and outweighed, the wildebeest eventually succumbs to the relentless onslaught

Horrific end: As more crocodiles join in the fight, the wildebeest is drowned and torn to pieces

The crocodile used its huge weight and strength to attack the beast as it was already caught off balance by the rushing water and uneven footing.
Its enormous jaw span virtually took in the entire wildebeest's body as the victim attempted in vain to escape the attack.
As more crocodiles joined in on the kill, the fight became hopeless.
At the end of the rainy season in east Africa, around May and June, wildebeest migrate to wetter areas in response to a lack of drinking water.

Circle of life: The majority of wildebeest would have safely forded the Mara River this year, but will have to take their chances with each migration

They travel hundreds of miles, crossing several rivers in a formation known as swarm intelligence - where they work together to cross the obstacle as safely as possible.
Casualities are inevitable, however, and this young male was estimated to be around five years old.
New Zealand photographer David Lloyd, 41, who captured the one-sided fight, said he was awe-struck by the sheer power of the killer.
He said: 'The crocodile is the largest in Africa. They're huge creatures that make many kills like this every year. The migration season really is feeding time for them.
'I estimate that the ones lurking in the river that day were between 15 and 18 feet. They're huge creatures.'

source: dailymal

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Don't let this one off the lead! Saltwater crocodile called 'Jugular' goes on sale as family pet.. and he's sure to keep away burglars

By JAMES TITCOMB

Snappy: Jugular the saltwater crocodile has gone on sale for 1,400 Australian dollars (£870)

Most people wishing to keep unwanted intruders out of their home tend to opt for a burglar alarm or a menacing rottweiler.
But those who want to go the extra mile can opt for a novel home security system that is more accustomed to the swamps of Northern Australia.
A saltwater crocodile, ominously called 'Jugular', measuring 5ft 3in has gone on sale as a family pet, with its owners promising you'll never be burgled again.
The reptile has been put on sale for 1,400 Australian dollars (£870) by owner Tracey Sandstorm, from Geelong, Victoria - who is throwing in a free box of plasters.
'They make great guard dogs and you are unlikely to ever be burgled again, but they tend to make a meal of any other animals they have to share the backyard with,' said Tracey.

Menacing: Jugular's Australian owners claim that saltwater crocodiles 'make great guard dogs'

She added: 'Their husbandry can be a little demanding and feeding time is not for the faint-hearted. [It] is a bit of a frenzy, with a mixture of chicken, fish and even dead rats their preferred tasty treats.'

For sale: The saltwater crocodile, which measures 5ft 3in along, enjoys chicken, fish and dead rats

Despite the obvious security benefits, saltwater crocodiles are not the easiest pets to keep around the house. Whoever snaps up Jugular will need a heated swimming pool, and will have to be prepared for him to grow to up to 18ft - more than three times his current length.
'They need an indoor heated swimming pool and I've installed a croc flap in the back door because they can get a bit impatient waiting to be let in and out,' Tracey said.
Saltwater crocodiles are known to treat humans as prey and aggressively attack and eat them whenever possible.

Predator: Saltwater crocodiles can grow up to 18ft long and are known to attack humans

source: dailymail

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How this man caught a 15ft child-killing crocodile called GADDAFI and managed to escape being lynched by the even scarier locals

Wildlife expert Pete Prodromou with Gaddafi, the 15ft long crocodile which weighed about a tonne

I flew out from the UK with a blow-up doll in my bag – to use as bait for a killer croc, I hasten to add. You won’t have seen me catch many man-eaters on Channel 4’s Paul O’Grady show, where I did a regular wildlife slot as ‘Safari Pete’. But I do know a bit about how to look after them. So when a giant crocodile killed a 15-year-old boy on Christmas Day in the village of Katwe, near Lake Edward in Uganda, I was asked to join the official hunt.

Pete prepares a potent bait with expert trapper Peter Ogwang

It was only after landing at Entebbe airport that I truly understood the situation. For a start, there would be no time for crazy experiments with sex toys. We would have to work quickly and decisively, as my friend Julius Abigaba explained when he met me from the flight. The idea was to remove the crocodile to a zoo or reservation.
But the villagers were fearful and enraged. The last time rangers tried to catch a croc there, the Katwe locals overpowered them, took the beast and chopped it up alive.

Pete checking the sex of a salt water crocodile in Malaysia

Some villagers even drank its blood because they believed it would cure HIV. Others consumed the meat to avenge the lives of the dead. Julius, who works for the Uganda Wildlife Education Team (UWEC), knows what he is talking about. So much for my fears about smuggling the doll through customs.
It was Day One of our quest, so he drove me to my ‘banda’ – a typical thatched hut – in Entebbe Zoo, where we could discuss our plans for the days ahead.

Pete also works for a company where he takes animals around to childrens in school

Day Two: I woke up late, covered in swollen mosquito bites. Luckily I travel with my own hydrocortisone injection kit to reduce the swelling. I couldn’t find a doctor, so I persuaded the zoo vet, Dr Noel, to administer an injection into my bottom. Red faces all round.
I then hopped on the boda-boda I kept at the zoo (this is a motorbike with a special seat on the back, normally used as a local taxi) and drove off to pick up some pork for a barbecue. On the way back I got a call from Dr Noel to say they had rescued a Gaboon viper, a venomous snake with big fangs, from one of the villages. What a treat it was to get close up to such a rare beast.


Pete hopes to work with the Ugandan authorities in the future

Day 12: We got back to Entebbe Zoo in the early hours of the morning, jubilant that we had caught one of the large crocs we had encountered. But we know there is at least one more 15ft crocodile out there. Which one had killed Joshua? I honestly don’t know.
I am now trying to work with the Ugandan authorities to set up a long-term solution to the toll the crocodiles are taking on the local people. One possibility is building barriers at the lakes to stop children swimming near them. We must also teach them about the dangers.
If the villagers could learn to live alongside the crocodiles, then my job would be done. But that will take some time yet. Until then, sadly, there will be more terrible deaths along the way.

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source: dailymail

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Father watches in horror as daughter, 10, is grabbed and eaten by crocodile

By DAVID BAKER

Horror: A saltwater crocodile snatched and killed a 10-year-old girl in Indonesia as her father and brother watched helplessly (file pic)

A father watched helplesssly as his 10-year-old daughter was snatched and killed by a crocodile in Indonesia.
The pair, along with the girl's brother, had been hunting for turtles in the East Nusa Tenggara province when the girl, Juraida, was dragged in to the water by a giant saltwater crocodile.
Indonesian official Viktor Mado Waton, speaking to the Jakarta Post, said: 'Juraida was seized when she was in about half a metre of water at the river’s mouth.'
Juraida's body has yet to be found.
Locals had already told officials they had seen several crocodiles sunbathing at the river mouth a few days before the incident.

Fatal: The attack happened near Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara province in Indonesia. It is the second attack on the Wailolong river in a month

He said her family had been only yards away but 'father and brother could only watch helplessly'. A rescue team later discovered a dress and a hair ribbon on the sand near the site of the incident on the Wailolong river.
And last month a boy was killed by a crocodile in the same river whilst villagers have also reported a loss of livestock.
The salt water crocodile is the largest of all living reptiles and is more commonly found in Australia, the eastern coast of India and parts of south-east Asia.
Although, on average, there are just two fatal attacks reported per year, in recent years there have been attacks in Borneo, Sumatra and Myanmar.

source: dailymail

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Arrest him - and make it snappy! Police officers discover 11 crocodiles and an alligator during search of suspected fraudster's home

By SARAH GRAHAM



Slippery character: A crocodile with tape around its mouth is one of several taken by fraud police from a villa in Lapscheure, Damme, near the Dutch border



It's perhaps not the first thing you'd expect to find if you're a police officer searching the home of a suspected fraudster.

But these 11 Nile crocodiles - five of them squeezed into a small shower - and an alligator were what officers stumbled across at a house in northern Belgium.

They were searching the villa of a German man suspected of fraud in the village of Lapscheure when they came across the reptiles.



The scale of the find: 'They were really kept in horrible conditions,' said Frederik Thoelen, a biologist



Five of the crocodiles were found squeezed into a small, dirty shower; five others were kept in an aquarium made for only two, and the alligator, was rolled up in several blankets.

'They were really kept in horrible conditions,' said Frederik Thoelen, a biologist at the Nature Rescue Centre where they are now being kept.



Taken away: The reptiles are now being kept at the nearby Nature Rescue Centre



He said the owner told them the crocodiles were about five years old, but they were far too small for their age, most likely because of their restrictive caging and insufficient food. Instead of measuring more than two metres (six feet), they were only a little over one metre (three feet).

Thoelen said the animals probably will not get a special treat for Christmas, because 'they got their biggest present yesterday' when they were rescued.



source: dailymail

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I've been tangoed! Crocodile turns orange after chewing through pipe filled with tannins

By DANIEL MILLER

Nice tan mate: According to owner Tracey Sandstrom, who runs Roaming Reptiles in Melbourne, Australia Snappy ate part of a filter in his pool which allowed red algae to flourish turning him orange.

Snappy the bad-tempered salt water crocodile got a little more than he'd bargained for when he decided a pipe in his tank would make a tasty meal.

The pampered croc from Melbourne, Australia, turned a bright shade of orange after it turned out to contain tannins produced by a type of red algae.

Owner Tracey Sandstrom from Roaming Reptiles believes Snappy had chewed through a filter a few weeks earlier which caused the algae to flourish.


Crocked: Bad-tempered Snappy now has a bright orange tan to match his fiery temperament

She said: 'I think it caused the pH levels in his water to soar which has led to the change in colour.'

Cranky Snappy, who sleeps in his own heated pool at night and is 2.6m long, became infamous after biting Tracey during a reptile show last year.


The salt-water croc has no one to blame for his colour transformation but himself

She is now looking to sell him as he has become too dangerous for her to handle.

She added: 'He's the prettiest croc I've got, and he's such a lovely animal ...
apart from that time, he's been quite predictable.'

source: dailymail

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Florida teenager lands a monster 12ft, 800lb alligator... with little more than a puny fishing rod (and a load of determination)

Monster catch: Tim Stroh managed to land this 12ft, 800lb alligator using a simple fishing rod... then his arms and legs, a .44-calibre rifle round, and finally a harpoon gun. It still doesn't seem like enough

Professional gamblers would not have put their money on Florida teenager Tim Stroh coming out on top in his latest Friday-night fight.

The 19-year-old college student has a wiry frame, stands 6ft 3in and weighs 160lb.
His opponent was a life-long killer, standing 12ft 3in tall and weighing a mighty 800lb.

However, despite being half the height and a fifth of the weight, Tim hung in there and came out victorious - bagging one of the biggest alligators in the state.


Posing up: Tim kneels next to his catch with the 'puny bass rod' he used to hook it. Behind him are family friend Rusty Griffenberg, left, and Tim's father Steven - who were both with Tim when his fishing tale started

The unbelievable fishing trip began on Friday evening, when Tim accompanied his mother and father, Rachel and Steven, on one of their regular gator hunts with a family friend, Rusty Griffenberg.

It wasn't too long into their hunt when they came upon the Florida monster, near an Interstate highway interchange.

Mr Griffenberg was the first to cast a special alligator rod, but the creature didn't take the bait.

Tim was only armed with what his father called 'his puny bass rod' - but Tim thought he'd give it a go anyway.


Proud hunter: Tim continues his photo opportunity, this time with friend Brittany Snyder. And, yes, that is a knife sharpener propping up the alligator's mouth

And so began a David-and-Goliath struggle, until Tim managed to pull the far-bigger and far-heavier gator towards the boat.

Tim told TCPalm.com: 'I thought it was just a nine-footer. Then I saw how big it was. I was more afraid we would lose it than I was of the gator.

'I wasn't just pulling him in with my arms, I was using my legs. It was hard.' But he added: 'He had a lot of character, and I had a lot of fun.'


Smile! Tim's mother Rachel doesn't pass up an opportunity to have her photo taken with the gator, and hanging the beast from top to tail shows the massive height and weight difference that Tim had to overcome


Snap: The location of the monumental catch, The St Lucie River



Even bigger catch: Connie Hancock hangs on to her 14ft alligator, caught on Lake George, Florida, during a holiday with her husband Josh

source: dailymail

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Snapped up: Villagers capture world's largest crocodile (which weighs one ton and is 21ft long)

By OLIVER PICKUP and RICHARD SHEARS

Giant catch: Mayor Cox Elorde of Bunawan township, Agusan del Sur Province, pretends to measure a huge crocodile which was captured by residents and crocodile farm staff along a creek in Bunawan

It weighs one ton and is believed responsible for eating at least one fisherman, but this monster crocodile has finally been caught by 100 very cautious men.

Measuring 21ft, the massive creature is the largest crocodile captured alive in recent years.

The beast was caught, after a three-week hunt, in a creek in the Philippines by villagers who had lived in fear of it for more than 20 years.


Price haul: Residents use their hands to measure the 21ft salt-water crocodile


Its nearest rival in the monster stakes is Cassius, an Australian salt-water crocodile which measures a 'mere' 18ft - and which is still on the loose in the Northern Territory.

The Philippine crocodile's domain was a river system in Agusan, a poverty-stricken region 500 miles south east of Manila, but while it was a constant threat to villagers no-one was brave enough to try to capture it.


Long tail: Dozens of local residents gather around the animal, which is believed to have killed a fisherman


However, when a village fisherman went missing and the crocodile became the chief suspect, plans were hatched in order to catch it.

It was placed under observation and when it was witnessed by several villagers killing a water buffalo they knew their suspicions were right.


Posing: One of the heavily armed captors touches the beast for the camera

Giant crocodile captured alive in Philippines 21ft long


source: dailymail

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