Crocodile Pictures

Our crocodiles gallery features images of the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus), one of three crocodile species found in Africa. The others are the Slender-snouted (or Long-snouted) crocodile (Crocodylus cataphractus) and the Dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis).

The Nile crocodile is the largest of the three African species, although it is smaller than the Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) found in Australia and south-east Asia. The male Nile crocodile measures from 11 to 15 ft long (3.5 to 5 m), although old ones can grow to 18 ft (5.5 m) but this is very rare.

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Photographing Crocodiles Taking pictures of crocodiles in the wild is not that difficult, although you obviously don't want to approach too close -- for your own safety and also not to agitate them unneccessarily. In general crocodiles like to sun themselves while lying prone on the banks, close to water. This means you can get quite close if you're on foot, although it's more difficult in a safari vehicle when you can't go off-road, as the road or track will always be built some way from the water's edge to avoid damage from flooding. When taking croc pictures on foot, a telephoto zoom in the 70-200mm range should be more than adequate, although for close-up shots you'll need a focal length of 300mm or more. In most cases, when a crocodile feels threatened it will turn and slide into the water. Nevertheless, it would be extremely dangerous and foolhardy to approach too close to a crocodile lying apparently asleep near the water's edge. Although they appear sluggish, they are capable of explosive action, hurtling out of the water to catch prey on the bank. For photographing crocs from a vehicle while on safari in Africa, you will in most cases need a longish telephoto in the 300mm to 400mm range, particularly if you want a mix of long shots showing the full body plus more detailed, intimate croc pictures. To read more about Nile crocodiles, their behavior and why they are such successful predators, see our article The Nile Crocodile - Stranger than Fiction. Return to Wildlife Galleries

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