Traveler Asif Ilyasov’s Notes – “Namibia” (continued)
The Wind of Freedom in Caprivi
Three species of crocodiles inhabit the African continent. The largest among them is the Nile crocodile — a massive reptile belonging to the Crocodylidae family. It is widespread across Africa and ranks as the second-largest crocodile species in the world, surpassed only by the saltwater crocodile.
In general, crocodile species are quite diverse. Today, the Crocodylidae (true crocodiles) family includes at least 15 species, the Alligatoridae (alligators and caimans) family includes 8 species, and the Gavialidae family (sometimes considered a subfamily of true crocodiles) contains 2 species. I’d like to highlight the following in particular:
Crocodylus acutus — American crocodile ,Crocodylus halli — Endemic to New Guinea, named after American zoologist Philip Hall,Crocodylus intermedius — Orinoco crocodile,Crocodylus johnstoni — Freshwater crocodile,Crocodylus mindorensis — Philippine crocodile,Crocodylus moreletii — Central American crocodile,Crocodylus niloticus — Nile crocodile
Crocodiles and alligators often keep their mouths open — not just as a sign of aggression, but to prevent overheating of their bodies. However, there’s another important reason for this behavior. A bird species that lives near crocodiles — the Egyptian plover, also known as the “crocodile bird” — uses this opportunity to clean their teeth when their jaws are open. These birds act both as dental hygienists and as early warning systems for danger.The most effective place to shoot a crocodile is its head — the vital spot is about the size of a chicken egg. To hit the target accurately, aim between the eyes if the crocodile is facing you, or at the end of the “smile line” if it’s in profile.After about two hours, we finally spotted a crocodile — it had partially emerged from the water, close to the shore, and we were able to approach it to within about 70 meters.
We quietly moved another 20 meters closer and clearly determined that it was possible to take the shot. Now, it was crucial to make an accurate one. I wouldn’t say it was a perfectly comfortable position for the hunter — aiming while sitting in a gently rocking boat — even though the rifle was firmly stabilized on a tripod rest. The head was clearly visible. That day we had a Tikka .338 Win Mag with us — it was time to test the capabilities of this firearm (which we later came to fully appreciate).
We all waited intently for the shot, and we didn’t have to wait long — the shot rang out, and the crocodile flipped onto its back, convulsing violently. The PH urgently called the boat driver three times to get us quickly to the crocodile. “Gena” (the crocodile) had already calmed in the water, showing no signs of diving. If the shot had missed, we would have had to say goodbye to the trophy — it would have dived under some log and died there. For instance, a saltwater crocodile can stay submerged for up to five minutes, but a Nile crocodile can remain underwater for up to two hours. If there are stones in its stomach, it can even dive deeper.The second reason crocodiles swallow stones is to aid digestion. In our case, the trophy wasn’t required — this crocodile wasn’t meant for export — but it was still interesting to see it up close. But what was there to see? The head was nearly obliterated by the .338 caliber bullet — the hole was so massive, it’s hard to even imagine.
On the way, we also found the carcass of a young buffalo in the water and brought it onto the boat — this was needed for a local ecological report. After a photo session, we handed the trophy over to the local organizers and continued our journey. Now it was time for the next act: the Hippopotamus!In Africa, hippos go by many names depending on the country and people — for example: mvuu, mfubu, kubu, kiboko, and others. It’s estimated that there are around 125,000 hippos in the world today (give or take). This is the only animal that can open its jaws to an angle of 150 to 180 degrees. A hippo has 36 teeth — each jaw contains 2 canines (tusks), 4 incisors, 6 premolars, and 6 molars.
We quietly moved another 20 meters closer and clearly determined that it was possible to take the shot. Now, it was crucial to make an accurate one. I wouldn’t say it was a perfectly comfortable position for the hunter — aiming while sitting in a gently rocking boat — even though the rifle was firmly stabilized on a tripod rest. The head was clearly visible. That day we had a Tikka .338 Win Mag with us — it was time to test the capabilities of this firearm (which we later came to fully appreciate).
We all waited intently for the shot, and we didn’t have to wait long — the shot rang out, and the crocodile flipped onto its back, convulsing violently. The PH urgently called the boat driver three times to get us quickly to the crocodile. “Gena” (the crocodile) had already calmed in the water, showing no signs of diving. If the shot had missed, we would have had to say goodbye to the trophy — it would have dived under some log and died there. For instance, a saltwater crocodile can stay submerged for up to five minutes, but a Nile crocodile can remain underwater for up to two hours. If there are stones in its stomach, it can even dive deeper.
The second reason crocodiles swallow stones is to aid digestion. In our case, the trophy wasn’t required — this crocodile wasn’t meant for export — but it was still interesting to see it up close. But what was there to see? The head was nearly obliterated by the .338 caliber bullet — the hole was so massive, it’s hard to even imagine.On the way, we also found the carcass of a young buffalo in the water and brought it onto the boat — this was needed for a local ecological report. After a photo session, we handed the trophy over to the local organizers and continued our journey. Now it was time for the next act: the Hippopotamus!In Africa, hippos go by many names depending on the country and people — for example: mvuu, mfubu, kubu, kiboko, and others. It’s estimated that there are around 125,000 hippos in the world today (give or take). This is the only animal that can open its jaws to an angle of 150 to 180 degrees. A hippo has 36 teeth — each jaw contains 2 canines (tusks), 4 incisors, 6 premolars, and 6 molars.
Important: Approximately 500 people lose their lives each year due to hippo attacks. That’s why nowadays people no longer talk about the “Big 5,” but rather the “Big 6.” For this reason, it’s crucial to remain constantly alert. I’d also like to note that in the wild, a hippo’s lifespan is around 40 years.
This time, our task was a bit easier because we already knew that a problematic hippo lived near a small village consisting of just a few huts — a hippo that occasionally attacked local people. The main rule is simple: never block a hippo’s path to the water. The water is its home, and it will interpret such an action as an attack on its life or territory. In short, it does not take kindly to such “intrusions.”
We reached the target location and from a distance saw its head partially sticking out of the water in a small pond. The pond was around 4 to 5 meters deep. We slowly started to approach the hippo. At that moment, the PH gave the command “STOP” and began closely observing its head. The distance was quite comfortable, but it was still necessary to hit either the spot between the eyes and ears or directly the center of the forehead. It was staring right at us — and I’m certain it was doing so with hatred. The cold, piercing gaze coming from beneath the water cut right through us. This was its home, and we were intruders.
The PH asked the hunter Botta to aim directly at the center of its forehead — but just imagine trying to distinguish a hippo’s forehead when it’s peeking out from water! A shot was fired — the gray body quietly started to sink beneath the surface. It sank just as it had been positioned before. This kind of submersion did not please the PH at all. I, of course, captured the moment of the shot, but still… we had to wait.Hippos can comfortably stay underwater without breathing for 10 minutes (up to a maximum of 15). Even though they spend most of their lives in the water, they are actually poor swimmers. In most cases, they move by walking along the bottom or being carried by the current.Twenty minutes had already passed, and we were still only seeing occasional bubbles rise to the surface. Despite being in a boat, we were still in the danger zone. During this entire time, the hunter remained behind the rifle, while the rest of us kept staring into the water, trying to spot something.
Everyone was guessing out loud:
— “He’s probably dead by now,” they said,
but no one dared to approach with the boat.
At the 20-minute mark, the PH confidently stated that a hippo could not remain underwater for this long. Despite the bubbles still surfacing, he instructed Mayka to take the boat closer — at this point, we were only 20 meters from those rising bubbles.
Felix climbed to the highest point of the boat and shouted that he could see the hippo’s paw from above. At that moment, Mayka turned the boat parallel to the direction of the air bubbles — of course, he wanted better control of the boat — but he was immediately met with a sharp warning from the PH, who ordered him to quickly turn the bow of the boat toward the spot where the hippo was lying. We were getting closer and closer to the source of the bubbles. Tension hung thick in the air. Everyone was ready for anything.
Felix, standing higher than the rest like a sailor at the mast of a ship, suddenly shouted: “Hippo! Hippo!”
It reminded me of the discovery of America — “Land, land!” — the joyful cry of a lookout perched at the top of the mast. Christopher Columbus’ long, fear-filled voyage had come to an end. And now, our very own Columbus — PH Boota — could also finally relax. The hippo had been found!
The hunter had made a precise shot directly to the forehead — there was a large hole in the center of the head! Mayka and Felix were already in the water, tying the hippo’s massive body with a rope and began pulling it toward the shore. During this season in the Caprivi, using cars is nearly impossible — there’s just too much water. To be honest, moving around by boat seemed both more comfortable and more exciting to me. Of course, we couldn’t haul the entire hippo ashore — they would butcher it right where it was.
An interesting detail: we found evidence of a previous bullet wound in its body. The bullet had gotten stuck in the thick skin of the mammal. We showed this spot to Mayka, the National Park employee. That explained why it had been attacking people — the locals had previously tried to harm it, but failed.
After a few photo sessions, we quietly returned to the lodge. Early in the morning, we would head back to the ranch and stay there for a few more days — take a few long-range shots, maybe hunt some antelope, and then finally, it would be time to go home. As wonderful as the wind of freedom is in Caprivi, the wind at home is always better.
But I will definitely come back here again — probably around the same time!
Today’s sunrise and sunset views were impossible to ignore — because Africa is an eternal love.
Author: Asif Ilyasov
Photos: Asif Ilyasov
