This black mamba is determined to get to the other side of the river, but first, it must cross a crocodile-infested river. Will it make it through alive?
When days on safari seem boring and not much is to be seen, it is always a good idea to visit the closest water source or river to look at what you can find. On this particular day, Giosuè headed to the Shingwedzi River in the northern sections of the Kruger National Park. After waiting and scanning the sand banks for any movement, something caught his eye—it was a snake!
Lifting his binoculars and taking a closer look revealed that this was one of Africa’s deadliest snakes. It was a black mamba. The snake was moving along a patch of dry river sand, making its way to the water’s edge. The speed at which it was moving led him to think that the snake was not going just for a drink but perhaps was looking to cross the river.
The Shingwedzi River is a river that is filled with crocodiles and hippos. The hippos that were not too far off did not even notice the snake. However, the group of crocodiles that were basking in the morning sun picked up the Mambas movement almost immediately. One of them, who was closest to the snake, rushed off and tried to catch it.
The snake, however, was not only too fast but also too agile for the slow crocodile; it just moved out of the way with a quick turn, and the crocodile snapped its jaws, catching nothing but a gasp of air. The snake was now free to make a run for it! It quickly got into the water and began gliding on the surface with lightning speed, moving in different directions so that no crocodile that was lurking could even have a chance at catching it!
The rest of the crocodiles watched from the bank as the snake made its way successfully over the crocodile-infested river. But it was far from over; the snake unfortunately chose the wrong exit route from the river. It was hard to get out of the water in a really clay and muddy area. This slowed the snake down as it was struggling to move in the thick sludge that was at the water edge.
Seeing the snakes struggle and the opportunity for a meal, one of the crocs got into the water and swam across as fast as he could. As soon as he got onto dry land, he went straight for the snake, not fearing the highly toxic and deadly venom. He knew the snake fangs could do him no harm with his thick leather skin!
The croc grabbed the snake with one swift bite and swung it around, trying to kill it. This commotion drew the attention of a fish eagle that was perched on the banks of the river. When the eagle saw that it was a black mamba and a crocodile having it out, it made the wise decision and left without making an attempt to steal the crocs meal.
The crocodile, at this point, bit through the snake and killed it. The easy part was done; now came the hard part: eating the snake before the other crocs could steal it. The croc made a run for it, and with the snake hanging from his mouth, he rushed back to the safety of the water to swallow his hard-earned meal whole.
