Nile crocodile - armor, Pyreras Reserve, Madagascar

There it lies, a beast to be respected. This is one of very few animals in Madagascar potentially harmful or lethal to humans. Not even snakes are venomous in Madagascar.

As the exception within Madagascar, it is a powerful one. They can grow up to 5 or 6m, and their size indicates their rank in the hierarchy. They are masters of patience and can wait days or even weeks for an opportunity. They are non-picky generalists that take on any mammal. That, and the fact that it shares habitat with people across most of its range makes this animal the most prolific predator of humans among wild animals.

Snakes cause more deaths, yet snakes do not hunt humans, they act in self defense. Mosquitoes kill far more people, yet mosquitoes do not intentionally predate people. As it comes to actively hunting humans for the sake of predation (food), this is the most dangerous animal in the world.

That said, only 25% of Nile Crocodiles are large enough to fatally injure a human. Wikipedia also suggests that human fatalities are in part cultural. People have an endless panicky fear of lions yet too little for this crocodile. In reality, Nile Crocodiles cause 8 times more humans deaths compared to lions.

Still, this species kills more people than all other crocodile species combined. The fatality rate is also the highest.

Or in short: as silly meat bags, it's best to keep some distance.

7 years earlier, also in Madagascar:

5 years earlier, snacking on a monitor:

3 years earlier, ignorant me:

And we're not done yet. Consider this full episode of a legendary documentary where a researcher decided it's a great idea to go diving in crocodile infested rivers, to check nesting: