Nicole Ednido
West African crocodiles are much less likely to eat you if they have had a full meal in the morning. Bakau is a town outside of Banjul, the capital of Gambia.
That’s because Moses Bajo, Kachikally’s media spokesperson and a devoted keeper of the park’s reptiles, says it’s his job to feed the crocodiles and keep them happy every morning before the private safari park, funded by donations, opens so that the park’s daily influx of visitors can roam freely on the grounds, pet the animals and take pictures with them.
Fish are a special insurance against tourists, and for the crocodiles of Kachikally, they are like breakfast, lunch or dinner.
“Every morning, I feed these crocodiles fish. They only eat fish,” Baggio said. “No beef, no chicken, no red meat, because if they eat that, they become aggressive, which attracts them to attack humans.”
Earlier this year, I visited Kachikali on Variety Cruises’ seven-night West African rivers cruise, partly on the Gambia River. As far as shore excursions go, the experience was definitely unique.
The fishermen in Kachikalli have crocodiles that are about 2.5 meters long and can weigh up to 1,000 pounds, and Baggio said some of them are 76 years old.
They are not kept in traditional enclosures that most people are used to seeing, such as in zoos or sanctuaries.
There are no ropes, posts, or any other kind of demarcation to let visitors know which side of the park they should safely stay on.
Travel editor Nicole Edenedo gets up close and personal with crocodiles at Kachikally Crocodile Pool during a call with Variety Cruises on their West Africa itinerary. Photo credit: Courtesy of Nicole Edenedo
Instead, as Baggio says, Kachikally National Park itself is safe, even though crocodiles roam freely as tourists, walking on the same trails and enjoying the same shade as tourists in the park during the hot, dry season.
Real life crocodiles
I was amazed to find that I could come face to face (or rather, foot to foot) with these scary-looking, but actually quite docile reptiles.
I remember spending years watching National Geographic Wildlife; no matter how high definition the TV screen was or how clear the close-ups were, I could not see the fine details I saw when I stood so close to a medium-sized crocodile in Kachikally.
Admittedly, I was too nervous to go near it; I found that every time I made the motion of bending down to touch it, I shuddered and jumped away with a scream.
But eventually I mustered up the courage. I began to very reluctantly touch a scale with one finger. I expected to feel a texture rough enough to make me more uneasy, but I was surprised at how soft and, dare I say it, slimy it was.
How to Pet an Alligator
Baggio said the best and safest way to approach a crocodile in Kachikalí is from its back. As he and I crouched next to the crocodile from behind, Baggio showed me the process he takes visitors to the park to touch a crocodile, first gently stroking the tail and then slowly moving closer to the crocodile’s belly. That way, the crocodile won’t be startled by the touch.
Sometimes, alligators may shake their heads vigorously when being petted, and while this may cause tourists to flee (like I did), Baggio assured me that this is natural and nothing to worry about.
The golden rule of Kachikari is to never approach a crocodile from the front (near its head) because Baggio says doing so will scare and anger them.
Visitors to the Kachikally Crocodile Pool in Banjul, Gambia. Photo credit: Nicole Edenedo
“Never attack them from the front because they may not know what you are doing,” Baggio said. “So always stay behind them. Start with the back, then the tail, and finally the belly.”
As Baggio started rubbing the crocodile’s belly and the crocodile’s head started moving, I felt myself starting to like this big guy. I didn’t think he was that bad. Sure, he was scary, but I guess even a crocodile couldn’t resist a good belly rub.
Variety Cruises’ Gambia and Senegal river cruises run from late December to February. The line offers two itineraries, round-trip from Dakar, Senegal and Banjul.
