Nile Crocodile swallowing flesh while scavenging a wildebeest carcass in the Mara River, Kenya

Nile Crocodiles Scavenging a Wildebeest Carcass

Masai Mara, Kenya, East Africa

The Nile crocodile is the largest crocodilian in Africa and are among the most feared predators on earth. In Kenya’s Masai Mara, large numbers of crocodiles gather each year anticipating the annual wildebeest migration. Many wildebeest are preyed upon as they cross the Mara River, but a fair number succumb to drowning. Nile crocodiles are both carnivores and scavengers.

Crocodiles cannot chew their prey as their jaws cannot move sideways, so they simply swallow large chunks of meat. Any attempt to swallow the food underwater would result in a considerable amount of water being ingested, so the crocodile tips its head back and flicks the food to the back of its mouth. The palatal valve is opened allowing the food to enter its esophagus. Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.

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