Quick Take
- A massive crocodile on the bank barely reacts as canoes glide past, leaving one to wonder what would have happened if the paddlers got any closer. Watch the close encounter →
- Crocodiles bask in the sun for a reason that goes deeper than just warming up, and understanding it changes how you read this encounter entirely. Why crocodiles bask explained →
- Nile crocodiles are known to be territorial, though the rules of that territory are more complicated than most people assume. Nile crocodile territory rules →
- Wildlife guides give crocodiles space rather than distance for a specific reason, and it matters more than you'd think. How guides approach crocodiles →
Visitors to Southern Africa may hope to spot everything from a sleek cheetah to a curious monkey. Getting this close to a large crocodile from a canoe, though, is probably a little farther down the wish list. That is exactly what happens in this clip from Zimbabwe.
Crocodile Sighting in Zimbabwe
The YouTube video takes us to Zimbabwe in Southern Africa. The clip captures a large crocodile stretched out along the shoreline, basking in the sun as a group of paddlers approaches.
The Snakes in Zimbabwe YouTube page shared the video. Despite the name, the channel features more than snakes and includes footage of other wildlife found across southern Africa, including elephants, birds, wild dogs, and other animals.
Large Crocodile Basking in the Sun
Crocodiles are carnivores that feast on prey like fish, deer, buffalo, and crustaceans.
©Naypong Studio/Shutterstock.com
At the start of the short clip, a group of tourists is traveling by canoe in Zimbabwe when a large crocodile comes into view on the bank ahead. The reptile appears to be doing exactly what crocodiles regularly do when conditions are right: basking to help regulate its body temperature.
The canoes slow as they reach the animal and then gradually continue past it. We cannot know exactly what instructions the group was given from the footage alone, but they do not paddle toward the crocodile or attempt to interact with it. Giving a wild crocodile plenty of room is certainly preferable to testing how comfortable it is with unexpected visitors.
Are Crocodiles Territorial?
Yes, crocodiles can show territorial behavior, although how strongly they defend an area varies by species, sex, season, and habitat. Competition between adult males can become especially important during the breeding season.
Britannica describes territorial behavior as the ways an animal or group protects an area from others of the same species. Crocodilians can defend space, access to mates, nesting areas, and other important resources.
Zimbabwe has one native crocodile species, the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus). Crocodilian territorial behavior can be especially noticeable among breeding adults. Saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) are another species well known for territorial behavior. Their historical range stretches from southwestern India and Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia and Indonesia to northern Australia and parts of the western Pacific.
Crocodiles are powerful wild predators, and some species are responsible for serious attacks on people. Large saltwater crocodiles are particularly formidable, while Nile crocodiles are the species people encounter in Zimbabwe. For anyone traveling through crocodile habitat, the safest wildlife encounter is the one that gives the animal plenty of space.
