Buffalo, Crocodiles and one great crossing

The Manyeleti Game Reserve keeps producing some unique sightings.

 

The biggest body of water in the Manyeleti is called Main dam. Not a lot of imagination was used naming the dam however this dam has produced some sightings I've never imagined I'll see.

 

We've seen Waterbuck cross Main-dam and other water holes when trying to avoid being hunted by Lion and African Wild Dog. We've seen several Elephant herds cross Main-dam merely to feed on the lush trees on the western side.

 

When Mr. & Mrs. Gill and the Zutz party (Trish, Lisa & Paul) joined me for a several day safari, we saw several hundred buffalo swim across various parts of Main-dam in full-force completely ignorant to the presence of crocodile... Several large and smaller crocodiles can be seen year round in this dam.

 

Cape Buffalo in these areas probably do not possess the learnt or instinctive behaviour to know that crocodiles are predators that, similar to lions would relish any opportunity to catch and eat Buffalo.

 

The larger lurking crocs would (if motivated enough, together with the correct mix of circumstances) clutch their jaws on any unsuspecting animals coming to drink or cross for that matter. These Crocodiles in Main-dam probably feed on Catfish as a staple diet while hunting animals living outside the water is probably more of a rarer food source.

 

Apart from capturing on video several hundred Buffalo doing a water crossing; see how a specific crocodile reacted to this amazing event...







If I were a crocodile I would definitely take the opportunity to substitute my diet from muddy Catfish to Buffalo fillet.

Any ideas why this type of behaviour?

Fritz Breytenbach