“I’m pretty sure no one can see me.”
Ethiopia 2013
You might think that crocodiles would be the most dangerous animal in Chamo Lake, but you’d be wrong. The most dangerous is the hippo. They are one of the most aggressive animals in the world. Our boatman stayed clear of any he saw swimming…all we could see was two eyes and two nostrils barely breaking the surface of the lake. When he spotted…or maybe it was Elizabeth who spotted these hippos… he gave us a chance to get some shots. The hippos had been sleeping, huddled next to a clump of reeds. We woke them and they slowly and ponderously slipped deeper into the water until they, too, were submerged.
Crocodiles fill the lakes of Ethiopia
Crocodiles are the other danger. Our guide didn’t tell us they will attack a boat the way an angry hippo will. Maybe crocodiles don’t get angry or maybe if crocodiles are not hungry, they ignore edibles like pelicans or fishermen.
The local fishermen must stand in the water to set their nets and to haul them in. They are at risk of being eaten by crocodiles and every year about ten fishermen are killed. We were told that several crocodiles will attack the prey, each crocodile grabbing an arm or leg in his jaws. I once saw cheetahs kill a gazelle and that is the way they worked as well. It’s nature.
In my mind I picture the cheetah being further along the evolutionary scale and so are more capable of arranging a concerted attack. Apparently, I’m wrong again. Maybe the cheetahs learned from watching the crocs or? vice versa.
In any case, the pictures were great! J.