Ekologija| Nauka| Putovanja| Sport| Životinjski svet 
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27.08.2009. u 08:14
The Crocodile Safari
albicilla
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27.08.2009. u 08:14
What happens when you put a naturalist in a kayak, adrift in Africa?
Published in the Canoeist, July 2003 – prevod sledi od šešira:
‘There are no crocs around here,’ said a smiling bartender. I think the warlord Mzilikazi must have had a similar smile while raiding the Bahurutshe, not far from where I dropped my paddle into the river.
Before it joins waters with the Matabele’s iliMphopho, the river of rapid rising and falling, known to the rest of the world as the ‘great, grey, green, greasy Limpopo’ of Rudyard Kipling’s writings, the Ngotwane River marks the boundary line between Botswana and South Africa. Overgrown by bush willows (Combretum), its banks are lush green as a stark contrast to surrounding yellowbrown palette of an arid Acacia savanna (sands of the Kalahari, ‘backbone of the world’ as David Livingstone described it, beginning only 20 or so miles from here).
While entering our double kayak I asked Andrew Hester, a local bird expert, if bilharzia is present in the shallows of the Ngotwane Dam, further down the river.
A rather unpleasant disease, it is transmitted by the parasites living in African freshwater snails and if anyone knows how to avoid touching the water with a kayak paddle in hand I’d be happy to find out. Parasites penetrate the skin, travel through the blood vessels and finally (if you’re lucky) settle in the urinary tract where they happily breed, doing irreversible damage to it (and if you’re less lucky they might get confused and settle inside your spinal cord or even your brain).
Andrew’s laconic answer was ‘No, I don’t think so. There could be bilharzia in the water but I have paddled here quite often and never got it. On the other hand there are crocodiles in the river.’
‘I’m not worried over crocs unless you capsize the kayak!’
Oh, my big mouth! I have read canoeing articles from Africa and knew that the Nile crocodile (Crocodilus niloticus) pays no attention to the boat and, in theory, as long as I’m inside I’m safe. On the other hand a croc might be tempted to grab a piece of meat that hangs low over the water and where do you think my paddle holding hand will be? Well, if anyone knows how to avoid having my hand low over the water while paddling I’d be happy to find out.
Anyway, since the only croc I had seen in Africa until then was the five foot chap in a pool by the near by restaurant I desired to see one in its natural surroundings. An ultimate freshwater predator that for 100 million years felt no need to evolve any further, the Nile crocodile is the largest African reptile by far. It grows up to more than 20 ft and more than 2,000 lbs, it lives up to 150 years and it can survive a year and a half without food; no wonder I am fascinated with it. How can I not be?
A few paddle strokes down the river and on the right bank there were four impala antelopes (Aepyceros melampus). A male with finely twisted horns was watching us suspiciously while females of his harem were drinking.
All around us were kingfishers, insect eating 
woodland kingfisherwoodland and brown hooded kingfishers (Halcyon senegalensis, H. albiventris) and fish eating pied kingfishers (Ceryle rudis).
In front of us a black egret (Egretta ardesiaca) was fishing under the umbrella formed by its outstretched wings, cutting off the glare from the water surface and perhaps even attracting the fish into the ‘safety’ of the shade. Among 60 heron species in the world this is the only one using this peculiar fishing technique. Like a ritualized dance, it unfolds its wings, takes a peek, folds them and moves a few steps, then unfolds again…
I would not have minded having some shade myself. It was January and here in the southern hemisphere January is the hottest of summer months.
South of the dam wall there was a shallow bay where branches of the flooded acacias reached toward the sky. They were decorated with bee eaters using them as a high viewpoint to hunt dragonflies. Despite its name, the blue cheeked bee eater (Merops persicus) is almost entirely bright green while the carmine bee eater’s (M. nubicoides) vivid plumage fits the description perfectly.
The surface was covered by floating leaves of the blue water lily (Nymphaea nouchali), its large pinkish-white flowers reaching 25cm in diameter. Walking on the leaves with its elongated toes was the lily trotter, the African jacana
African jacana (Actophilornis africana) with its chestnut body, white breast and face and blue beak and ‘shield’.
Walking away from us was the Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus), Southern Africa’s largest lizard. It readily digs up unguarded crocodile nests, creating havoc in no time. It can grow up to more than six feet but this one was only a third of that length.
To complete the scene the African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) was circling above us, yelping a triumphant high-pitched ‘Kyowkow- kow!’
‘By the way, how large are those crocs here?’
It was getting really hot… Perhaps the temperature had something to do with my inability to keep my big mouth shot.
‘Huge,’ Andrew answered. ‘I know one as big as this canoe. Some 13 or 14 feet, I guess.’
‘Huh, you sound like you can show me that one?’
‘I’ll try. I know where it usually basks.’
Whatever happened afterward, I could not blame Andrew. I asked for it.
I remember a conversation with the bartender in the local yacht club some time ago. I was sipping an ice cold Windhoek Light (unlike South African, Namibian beers are highly recommendable), watching a vast expanse of the Gaborone Dam (starting a few miles down the river from my current position) and enquiring about the warning signs at the entrance.
‘Crocs?’ he said. ‘No, there are no crocs around here. I never saw one. I don’t know anyone who can honestly claim he did.’ Perhaps he was worried that the signs might be scaring his customers away but, being assured there was no crocodile to be seen, I decided there was no reason to return to his bar.
Later I met some trustworthy people. The lady living on a farm by the Gaborone Dam said ‘I saw a croc taking an egret.’
Her husband, a diving instructor, said ‘I wouldn’t dive in this lake.’
The gentleman living on a farm by the Ngotwane Dam said ‘A croc took my dog, right there!’
We were now paddling upstream where riverbanks narrowed to 40 - 50 feet. Tree crowns were swaying, branches rocking; a troop of vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) was on the move and we were reaching for our binoculars.
The leader of the troop was sitting in a fork of a tree, barking at us angrily, warning his troop to stop moving. Vervets are highly vocal, using more than 36 different calls to indicate different dangers. How dangerous can a life be?
A female with a young hanging on her belly was caught in the mid jump from one bush willow to another, balancing with her long tail, but the rest of the troop slowed down, waiting for the danger, us, to pass.
Still, one juvenile had a seat on a branch, dangling its legs on one side of it and its tail on the other side, disregarding the authority of the leader and watching us curiously. There was something irresistibly childish in its curiosity. With such an attitude it might not make it to adulthood but I am sure it had a higher IQ than the rest of the troop.
Bright yellow Eurasian golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus) led us further up the river.
‘Over there, in that reedbed,’ Andrew pointed toward an eroded left bank where a Boer camp stood a century ago. ‘That’s where that croc’s usually basking in the sun.’
One more stroke and the reed was swaying, breaking, bursting; something large was moving quickly. Swoosh, a heavy body was gliding down the high bank, splash, falling into the water and disappearing under the surface.
‘Which way did he go?’ I asked Andrew while the kayak was rocking on the waves made by the crocodile.
‘Don’t know. Anywhere but here. He’s huge!’
Then our kayak froze in the water. You know that feeling of heaviness, like when you lean on a submerged tree stump…
…or Andrew was repositioning himself in his seat…
…or a croc was swimming right under the bottom of the kayak…
Contemplating the food chain and my position in it, I kept my big mouth shut. 
Šta se dešava kad smestite prirodnjaka u kajak prepušten vodama Afrike?
,,Ovde nema krokodila”, rekao je nasmešeni barmen. Mora da se ratni poglavica Mzilikazi isto tako smeškao dok je robio pleme Bahuruše, nedaleko mesta gde sam zaronio veslo u reku.
Pre nego što se udruži sa vodama iliMpopo, kako se na jeziku plemena Matabele kaže ,,reka iznenadnih uspona i padova [vodostaja]” poznata ostatku sveta kao ,,veliki, sivi, zeleni, masni Limpopo” iz pisanja Radjarda Kiplinga, reka Notvane predstavlja prirodnu granicu između Bocvane i Južne Afrike.
Obrasla vrbama Combretum, njene obale su bujnozelene kao snažan kontrast okolnoj smeđežutoj paleti sušne, trnovitim akacijama obrasle savane. Pesak Kalaharija, ,,kičme sveta” kako je Dejvid Livingston opisao ovu pustinju, počinje kojih tridesetak kilometara odavde.
Dok sam se uvlačio u kajak-dvosed, pitao sam Endrua Hestera, lokalnog stručnjaka za ptice, da li ima bilharzije (šistosomijaze) u plićacima akumulacionog jezera Notvane, dalje niz reku.
Ovu prilično neprijatnu bolest prenose paraziti čiji su domaćini slatkovodni puževi tropskog pojasa. Paraziti prodiru u kožu, putuju kroz krvne sudove i konačno se (ako imate sreće) zaustave u urinarnom traktu gde se veselo razmnožavaju čineći nepopravljivu štetu (a ako nemate sreće, oni se mogu zbuniti i smestiti unutar kičmene moždine ili čak mozga). Ako iko zna kako izbeći kontakt sa vodom veslajući u kajaku, bio bih srećan da to otkrijem...
Endruov lakonski odgovor je bio: ,,Ne, ne verujem. Moglo bi biti bilharzije u vodi, ali ja sam veslao ovuda prilično često i nikada je nisam zaradio. S druge strane, u reci ima krokodila.”
Hladnokrvno odvratim: “Krokodili me ne brinu dok god ne prevrneš kajak!” O, moj dugački jezik! Čitao sam već izveštaje kajakaša iz Afrike i znao da nilski krokodil (Crocodilus niloticus) ne obraća pažnju na čamac te da sam, u teoriji, bezbedan dok god sam unutra. S druge strane, krokodil može biti u iskušenju da zgrabi parče mesa koje visi nisko iznad vode, a gde mislite da će moja ruka sa veslom biti? Ako iko zna kako da izbegnem da mi ruka bude nisko nad vodom dok veslam, bio bih srećan da i to saznam.
U svakom slučaju, pošto je jedini krokodil koga sam do tada video u Africi bio dug jedva metar i po, a nalazio se u bazenu obližnjeg izletišta, žudeo sam da vidim jednog u njegovom prirodnom okruženju. Nilski krokodil je najveći afrički gmizavac i savršeni slatkovodni predator koji za poslednjih 100 miliona godina nije osetio potrebu da dalje evoluira. Dostiže dužinu od preko šest metara i težinu od preko 1000 kilograma, životni vek mu je i do 150 godina i može preživeti godinu i po dana bez hrane. Nije ni čudo što sam fasciniran njime, pa kako da ne budem?
Nekoliko zaveslaja niz reku, i na desnoj obali se se stvoriše četiri impale (Aepyceros melampus). Mužjak sa fino izvijenim rogovima nas je sumnjičavo merkao dok su ženke iz njegovog harema pile vodu.
Svuda oko nas su leteli vodomari, neodoljivo lepe ptice jarkih boja. Posebno su brojni bili šumski (Halcyon senegalensis) i smeđeglavi vodomari (H. albiventris) sa dosta plave u svom koloritu, te crno-beli vodomar šarac (Ceryle rudis) koji lovi ribu (dok se prethodni hrane insektima).
Ispred nas je 
crna čapljacrna čaplja (Egretta ardesiaca) lovila ribu pod suncobranom od raširenih krila, uklanjajući tako brojne odsjaje nemilosrdnog sunca sa površine vode i možda čak privlačeći ribe u ‘bezbednost’ senke. Među nekih 60 vrsti čaplji na svetu, ovo je jedina koja koristi ovu neobičnu ribolovnu taktiku. To deluje poput ritualnog plesa: ona raširi krila, zaviri u senku, onda ih sklopi, napravi nekoliko koraka, potom ih ponovo raširi da zaseni vodu…
Ni meni ne bi smetalo malo senke. Bio je januar, koji je ovde u južnoj hemisferi najtopliji letnji mesec.
Južno od brane nalazio se plitak zaliv gde su se grane utopljenih akacija protezale ka nebu. Bile su ukrašene raznobojnim pčelaricama koje su vrebale vilin-konjice. Uprkos svom imenu, plava pčelarica (Merops persicus) je gotovo u celini svetlozelene boje, dok živopisno perje 
južne karmin-pčelarice južne karmin-pčelarice (M. nubicoides) savršeno odgovara imenu.
Površina vode je bila pokrivena plutrajućim listovima plavog lokvanja (Nymphaea nouchali) čiji veliki bledoružičasti cvetovi dostižu 25cm u prečniku. Po lišću je šetala afrička jakana (Actophilornis africana) kestenjastog tela, belih prsa i glave te plavog kljuna i čeonog ,,štita”, svojim dugačkim prstima raspoređujući težinu na što veću površinu plutajućih listova.
Udaljujući se od nas, koračao je nilski varan (Varanus niloticus), najveći gušter Južne Afrike, koji spretno iskopava nezaštićena gnezda krokodila ostavljajući pustoš dok trepneš. Može dostići dužinu od preko dva metara, ali ovaj je bio samo trećina te dužine.
Pokret u trsci.. retka afrička barska kokica (Porphyrula alleni) plavozelenog perja je svojim dugim prstima hvatala po nekoliko stabljika trske odjednom, što joj je omogućilo da se uspinje čitav metar više moje glave..
Da upotpuni prizor, afrički belorepan (Haliaeetus vocifer) je kružio iznad nas sa trijumfalnim kliktajem ‘kjoukao-kau’ koji u letu izvodi zabačene glave.
,,Uzgred, koliki su ti krokodili ovde?”
Postajalo je pakleno vruće… Možda je temperatura imala neke veze sa mojoj nesposobnošću da zavežem.
,,Ogromni”, odgovorio je Endru. ,,Znam jednog koji je veliki kao ovaj kajak. Nekih četiri metra, pretpostavljam.”
,,...uh, deluješ kao da bi mogao da mi pokažeš tog?”
,,Probaću. Znam gde se obično sunča.”
Šta god se desilo kasnije nisam mogao da krivim Endrua. Sam sam to tražio.
Sećam se razgovora koji sam pre nekog vremena vodio sa barmenom u lokalnom jaht klubu. Ispijao sam zmijski-hladan Windhoek Light (za razliku od južnoafričkih, namibijska piva su nadasve preporučljiva), posmatrajući beskraj akumulacionog jezera Gaborone (počinje nekoliko kilometara niz reku od mog trenutnog položaja) i raspitujući se o znacima upozorenja na ulazu.
,,Krokodili?” rekao je. ,,Ne, ovde nema krokodila. Nikada nisam video ni jednog. Ne znam nikoga ko bi mogao iskreno da tvrdi da jeste.” Možda je bio zabrinut da upozorenja mogu oterati njegove mušterije, ali, uveren da se tu ne mogu videti krokodili, ja sam rešio da nema razloga da se vraćam u njegov bar.
Kasnije sam upoznao ljude kojima sam više verovao. Gospođa koja živi na farmi pored jezera mi je rekla: ,,Videla sam krokodila kako grabi čaplju.”
Njen muž, instruktor ronjenja, rekao je: ,,U ovom jezeru ne bih ronio.”
Gospodin koji živi na farmi uz branu Notvane je dopunio priču: ,,Krokodil je pojeo mog psa, baš ovde!”
Sada smo veslali uzvodno gde su se obale reke sužavale na 12 do 15 metara. Krošnje drveća su se njihale, grane se ljuljale; grupa majmuna, travnih gvenona (Cercopithecus aethiops), bila je u pokretu, a mi smo posezali za dvogledima.
Vođa grupe je seo u račvu drveta, ljutitio lajući na nas i upozoravajući svoju grupu da prestane sa kretanjem. Gvenoni imaju razvijene glasovne sposobnosti i koriste više od 36 različitih upozorenja da označe različite opasnosti. Koliko opasan može biti život?
Ženka sa mladuncem koji joj je visio sa stomaka se našla usred skoka sa jedne vrbe na drugu, održavajući ravnotežu repom koji je bezmalo dvostruko duži od tela, ali ostatak grupe je usporio, čekajući da nestane opasnost – tj. mi.
Ipak, jedan mališa lica okruženog sivim krznom i radoznalog pogleda je još uvek sedeo na grani, klateći nogama sa jedne strane i repom sa druge, ignorišući autoritet vođe. Bilo je nečeg neodoljivo detinjastog u njegovoj radoznalosti. Sa takvim stavom možda neće doživeti da odraste, ali sam siguran da je imao viši IQ od ostatka grupe.
Jarkožuta 
vugavuga (Oriolus oriolus) nas svojim letom vodi dalje uz reku, dok čopor prugastih mungosa (Mungos mungo) tutnji kroz suvu travu obale.. Plovimo pokraj krokodilske jazbine, koju kopa da se u njoj sakrije od sunca ako reka presuši, otvora širokog koliko i sam krokodil, a dubine koliko je dugačak. Nikad neću shvatiti kako to uspevaju da iskopaju, kad su im noge onako kratke, a teško mi je zamisliti da kopaju njuškom, pa nogama izbacuju zemlju, a još mi je teže zamisliti neko treće rešenje…
,,Tamo, u onoj trsci”, Endru je pokazao ka visokoj i podlokanoj levoj obali gde je pre jednog veka, tokom anglo-burskog rata, stajao burski logor, ,,To je mesto gde se taj krokodil obično sunča.”
Još jedan zamah veslom i trska se njihala, lomila, razdvajala, nešto veliko se brzo kretalo. SVUUŠŠŠ, teško telo se suljalo niz u obali usečen tobogan, PLJUUUSS, upalo u vodu i nestalo sa površine.
,,Kuda je otišao?”, pitao sam Endrua dok se kajak ljuljao na talasima koje je napravio krokodil.
,,Ne znam. Bilo gde samo ne ovde, Ogroman je!”
Onda se kajak ukočio u vodi. Znate onaj osećaj težine, kao kada se naslonite na potopljeni panj…
...ili kao kada se Endru bolje namešta u svom sedištu…
...ili kao kada krokodil pliva ispod samog kajaka…
Razmišljaljući o lancu ishrane i svom mestu u njemu, ovog puta sam držao jezik za zubima.
Atačmenti
- en0 Crocodilus niloticus - Nile crocodile Steve © Chen AP.jpg / 47.11 / KB image/jpeg
- en1 Halcyon senegalensis - Woodland Kingfisher © VINIT BAJPAI.jpg / 43.94 / KB image/jpeg
- en3 Ceryle rudis - Pied Kingfisher © Georges Olioso.jpg / 10.51 / KB image/jpeg
- en5 Merops persicus - Blue-cheeked Bee-eater © Sergio Maria Bianchi.jpg / 41.84 / KB image/jpeg
- en7 Actophilornis africanus - African Jacana © Francois Dreyer.jpg / 71.85 / KB image/jpeg
- en9 Haliaeetus vocifer - African Fish Eagle © William Clark.jpg / 37.03 / KB image/jpeg
- Namibia Windhoek Lager.jpg / 19.55 / KB image/jpeg
- sr10 Oriolus oriolus - Eurasian Golden Oriole © Bernd de Bruijn.jpg / 75.99 / KB image/jpeg
- sr2 Halcyon albiventris - Brown-hooded Kingfisher © Louis du Plessis.jpg / 38.97 / KB image/jpeg
- sr4 Egretta ardesiaca - Black Heron © Ian Nason.jpg / 79.88 / KB image/jpeg
- sr6 Merops nubicoides - Southern Carmine Bee-eater © Jacki Hill.jpg / 40.67 / KB image/jpeg
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