Nicole Edenedo
West African crocodiles at Kachikally Crocodile Pool in Bakau, a town just outside the Gambia's capital city of Banjul, are much less likely to eat you if they've already had a hearty meal first thing in the morning.
That's because Moses Bajo, Kachikally's media spokesperson and devoted caretaker of the park's reptiles, says that every morning before the privately run, donation-funded wildlife park opens, he's responsible for feeding the crocs and keeping them happy in order to enable the park's daily influx of tourists to roam free about the grounds as they look to pet and pose with these creatures.
Fish is a particular kind of insurance against tourists looking like breakfast, lunch or dinner to Kachikally's crocodiles.
"Every morning, I feed these crocodiles fish. They only eat fish," Bajo said. "No beef, no chicken, no red meat, because if they eat that, they will become aggressive and that will attract them to go after people."
I found myself at Kachikally earlier this year during a call on Variety Cruises' seven-night West Africa river itinerary, which operates in part on the Gambia River. And as far as shore excursions go, this one certainly takes the cake as far as off-the-beaten-path experiences go.
Kachikally's pescatarian crocodiles, some of whom Bajo said are as old as 76, measure out to about two-and-a-half meters in length and can weigh as much as a thousand pounds.
They are not kept in traditional enclosures that most people might be used to seeing such animals in, like those in a zoo or a sanctuary.
There are no ropes, stanchions or any other kind of demarcation letting guests know which side of the park they should safely stay on.
Tours editor Nicole Edenedo gets up-close and personal with a crocodile at Kachikally Crocodile Pool during a call on Variety Cruises' West Africa itinerary. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Nicole Edenedo
Instead, as Bajo says, safety is inherent at Kachikally, even as the crocodiles roam as freely as the guests do, walking the same footpaths they do and catching the same spots of shade as visitors do on a hot, dry season's day at the park.
Crocodiles in real life
I marveled at the fact that I was standing toe to toe (or rather, toe to tail) with these scary looking but otherwise seemingly docile reptiles.
I remembered the years I spent watching National Geographic wildlife programs; no matter how high-def the TV screen or how crisp the close-up shots, nothing prepared me for the level of detail I could see as I stood hovering near one of the more medium-sized crocs at Kachikally.
Admittedly, I was incredibly nervous to move in closer; I found that every time I motioned to bend down to touch one, a shudder would come over me and I would leap away squealing.
But finally I worked up the nerve. I started off with one finger very reluctantly touching one of the scales. I expected to feel a texture that was rough enough to unnerve me even more, but I was surprised to discover how soft it was and, dare I say, squishy.
How to pet a crocodile
The best and safest way to approach a crocodile at Kachikally, Bajo says, is from the back at the tail. As he and I crouched down over one of the crocs from behind, Bajo showed me the process he takes visitors through at the park, starting with a light petting at the end of the tail, then easing in closer to the croc's midsection. This way, they're not startled by the contact.
Every once in a while, the crocs might nudge their heads a little while being petted, and while this might send a visitor running for the hills (as I did), Bajo reassured me that this is natural and not cause for concern.
The golden rule at Kachikally is to never approach a crocodile from the front, near its head, as Bajo says doing so can startle and agitate them.
Guests at Kachikally Crocodile Pool in Banjul, the Gambia. Photo Credit: Nicole Edenedo
"Never approach them from the front, because they might not know what you're doing," Bajo said. "So always be behind them. Start from the back and then the tail, and then the stomach."
As Bajo started rubbing the crocodile's belly and its head began to move, I could feel I was almost starting to like the big guy. He's not so bad, I thought. Sure, he's terrifying, but I guess even crocodiles can't resist the pleasure of a good belly rub.
Variety Cruises' Rivers of Gambia & Senegal run from late December through February. The line offers two versions of the itinerary, with roundtrip sailings from Dakar, Senegal and Banjul.