Crocodiles and kingfishers in Gambia

This is a video about the Kachikally crocodiles in the Gambia. Many of them are so tame that they allow people to pet them. Some of the crocodiles, however, especially females with babies, may be aggressive and dangerous.

They belong to the species Nile crocodile. Recent research seems to point out that Nile crocodiles are really two species: one more aggressive, one less aggressive. If so, the Kachikally crocodiles may belong to the less aggressive species.

Many of the crocodiles have green backs, as there is much duckweed in the pond. See the photo here.

13 February 2012 in the Gambia.

After the earlier owl and vultures, we continued to Kachikally crocodile pool.

Its waters house over eighty crocodiles, with healing capabilities according to local tradition. They attract many visitors, for healing and for tourism.

There are also birds near the pond. Hamerkop.

And blue-breasted kingfisher.

Not far away, there was a smaller kingfisher species. The smallest kingfisher of the Gambia: the African pygmy kingfisher.

The African pygmy kingfisher sat near a place where dishes had been put to provide drinking water for birds during the dry season. The water attracted village weavers, common bulbuls, a Senegal coucal, and a female cut-throat finch.

We continued to the banks of a small brook, where African thrushes look for food.