About the Author

Kelsey Clark

Guest contributor

Kelsey has many fond memories of family bush and camping trips across South Africa when she was growing up and for her, this sparked a growing love for the wilderness and opportunities to seek new adventures. Although she studied BComm Financial Management and ...

View Kelsey's profile

27 Comments

on Incredibly Rare Sighting of Crocodile Chasing a Terrapin

Join the conversationJoin the conversation

Amazing & Unique! wow. Just shows us again that nature adapts to eat, to reproduce and survive. Fortunately, you were at the right place at the right time.

It really was amazing! Very fortunate to witness this interaction!

An incredible sighting! Poor little terrapin, didn’t stand a chance against that prehistoric beast – who needs to eat too…

Such an incredible sighting Mary 🙂 Tough for the terrapin but as you say the Crocodile does need to eat too!

Such an exciting interaction. In the many, many times I’ve been over the causeway I’ve seen crocodiles only lurking in the second pool.

I know, they are often lurking there but now we know they are after the terrapins too when they get a chance!

Wow Kelsey, that was an amazing and unusual sighting! The crocodile must have been hungry to expend the energy to leave the water and go after that little terrapin. Nature truly surprises us when we least expect it.

Thank you Denise, it really was a unique sighting and another one of natures great surprises!

Like the crocodile, I too, enjoy a crunchy snack from time to time. 😉

Haha I couldn’t agree with you more Chelsea! 🙂

Poor little guy was faster than I expected him to be! Why do you suppose the croc chose to come out of his comfort zone to pick on the unusual meal?

He was rather quick, just unfortunately not quick enough to escape a hungry crocodile! Although fish makes up the majority of a crocodile’s diet, they are opportunistic when a meal presents itself.

What an amazing sighting. Poor terrapin and a really sneaky crocodile.
One can often read that crocodiles are quite slow-moving animals out of the water. I wonder, because I have also seen some on a small island once rushing out of the vegetation and into the water at an incredible speed. The chase you watched is really something extraordinary.

It was an extraordinary sighting Christa – very fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time and to capture the sighting. Crocodiles can get up to speeds anywhere between 17-35km/h they however won’t be able to maintain those speeds for very long.

Poor little thing ran faster than ive ever seen a terrapin go. Imagine it took the right and went under the vehicle, that would of been interesting.

Crocodiles are ancient creatures that are thought to have barely changed from prehistoric times, but they have found the perfect hunting strategy. Animals have to go and get a drink and their just there waiting for them ready.

Senior Digital Ranger

I was thinking the exact same. Too bad he didn’t go under the vehicle, he might have escaped. The croc might not have been able to its mouth around him!

Things certainly could have got interesting if they had both gone under our vehicle – I must say I am quite glad they didn’t though!

One of my favorite spots in the preserve. We have seen crocodiles waiting with opened mouths for their next meal spilling over the causeway. On one visit, it was the only time I’d seen a croc out of water, ambling across the bridge.

It is a great spot, often with lots to be seen. The crocodile certainly changed its meal up on this afternoon though!

That crocodile must of been very hungry to come out of the water to eat the Terrapin, shame poor little terrapin could not get away from the beast of the water. Unique footage thank you Kelsey.

My pleasure Valmai, I was very excited I was able to capture the sighting to share the experience.

Amazing video, thanks Kelsey.

I’m glad you enjoyed it William.

Kelsey, What an incredible sighting! All we can say is wow – right next to your vehicle too!

I know! It was incredible and it all happened so quickly!

Wow, crazy siting! As unique as it was primal. Great capture Kelsey and team!

Wow – that was something to watch – I do feel bad for that Terrapin – he didn’t stand a chance – I wouldn’t have thought a crocodile could/would want to eat the shell – but I was wrong!

Connect with Londolozi

Follow Us

One moment...
Anonymous
Be the first to this photo
You and 1 others this photo
q

Filed under
Anonymous
10 April, 2798
+
Add Profile