Nile Crocodile

The Mara and Grumeti rivers in the Serengeti hold the largest and most reliably visible Nile crocodiles in northern Tanzania. Lake Manyara and the Tarangire River also hold strong populations. Legend Expeditions can time your northern circuit safari to coincide with the migration crossings for the most dramatic viewing.

Adult Nile crocodiles in Tanzania routinely reach 4 to 5 metres in length and weigh several hundred kilograms. The largest verified specimens from the Mara River exceed 6 metres and weigh over a tonne, which puts them among the largest reptiles alive today. The very biggest are old males, possibly 70 years or more.

Crocodile predation at the Mara River crossings is unpredictable but very real, and travellers visiting the northern Serengeti during August to October regularly witness ambushes. Multiple days based at a northern Serengeti camp dramatically increase your chances. Our guides know the most active crossing points in real time.

On a guided Legend Expeditions safari you will never be in a position where a crocodile poses any risk. The attacks that occur in rural Tanzania almost all involve people fishing, washing or fetching water at unprotected riverbanks. Inside the national parks there is no contact between visitors and crocodiles.

A large adult Nile crocodile can survive over a year without food by dropping its metabolism to almost nothing between meals. After a single big kill, a six metre male may not need to feed again for months. This is why the migration crossings sustain the Mara River population for the rest of the year.

The very largest Mara River crocodiles are probably 70 years old or more, meaning they were alive when the Serengeti was first declared a national park in 1951. Crocodiles grow slowly throughout their entire lives, so size is a rough proxy for age, and the largest individuals are usually old males.