The crocodile has been described by Wikipedia as a large aquatic reptile that lives throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the America s and Australia.  Even the free encyclopedia's description of the crocodile is bound to send shivers up and down one's spine.

It says of the reptile, "The crocodile's physical traits allow it to be a successful predator...Since crocodiles feed by grabbing and holding onto their prey, they have sharp teeth for tearing and holding onto flesh."

People who live near rivers and wetlands normally do not have anything nice to say about the predator as one Gaongalelwe Sefo of Samochima in the Okavango recently told Mmegi, "Crocodiles are very dangerous. A crocodile can snatch somebody from the banks of the river so even us women who forage for food, not far from the banks, are in danger."

One of the traits that make crocodiles such successful predators is that they have streamlined-bodies that allow them to swim swiftly.

The crocodile is said to mostly feed on vertebrates like fish, other reptiles and mammals. Those who live close to the river have horrifying stories of crocodiles dragging people alive underwater and killing them in the process.

Sefo says that once a crocodile grabs you underwater, chances of you escaping are slim since it is said that the creature has the strongest bite of any animal by far.

So revered is the animal that one of the most feared past South African presidents, Pieter W Botha was known as the 'Groot Krokodil'. Like the aquatic reptile, Botha used to strike terror in the minds of his potential victims especially the struggle icons of the apartheid era.

The late Afrikaner was one of the proponents of the so much despised apartheid movement and his black African rivals have horrid tales to tell about his government that fell in the early 1990s. The Groot Krokodil, like his aquatic counterpart, was so much despised that when he died there was hardly any mourning among the black population of South African who suffered untold atrocities during his reign. Only the then president, Thabo Mbeki was reportedly seen shedding tears, that some speculated were just 'crocodile' tears.

Speaking of Mbeki shedding tears, there is a legend that after killing its prey, the crocodile sheds tears, thus the phrase, 'Crocodile tears' loosely meaning pretentious sympathy.

So feared is the crocodile that it has been worshiped in some societies in Africa (more especially among the ancient Egyptians) and Asia.

Another revered animal, the hippopotamus has described by Wikipedia as a large mostly plant-eating mammal in sub-Saharan Africa. The semi-aquatic herbivore is further described as 'one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and is most often regarded as the most ferocious'.

As mentioned before the hippo is semi-aquatic meaning it can live both on land and in water and this can only translate to say it can easily attack anywhere.

Given the fact that the hippo is mostly plant eating, it is therefore surprising that it shows such aggression towards human beings. According to Sefo, this animal can lay hidden underwater as a boat approaches and once it is satisfied that its quarry (in this case the person rowing the boat) is near enough it would overturn the boat.

From a distance the hippo looks innocent but those in the know will tell you that it is ill-tempered as Sefo pointed out that it is both sinister and cunning. There are reports that some hippos are beginning to show flesh-eating tendencies, which means they will pose more harm to human beings.

Like the crocodile, the hippopotamus is worshipped in some societies and it is recorded that this animal, which has been named the third largest mammal by weight behind the white rhinoceros and the elephant, was worshipped in ancient Egypt by the people living along the River Nile despite the havoc that it caused in their daily lives.

Interestingly hippos are said to be hostile towards crocodiles. Who would have imagined that these two greatest enemies of the people of the Okavango would be enemies?