Our Neighborhood Crocs

(story continued from previous post) “Come look!” Arouna ordered.  Peering through the thick fencing, and into a garbage heap, there I spied two fully-grown Niger River crocodiles.

“What in the world?!” I asked myself.

“Let me see, let me see,” you screamed.  I picked you up so you could see for yourself.  Yes, right there, only a few hundred meters from our house, lay two gigantic crocs, with only torn fencing and a very short wall between them and us!

“This is dangerous!” I exclaimed. “Anyone can stick their hand right in!  Fassely, please be careful!” He was getting too close. I felt sorry for the poor creatures that lived there amidst plastic bags, empty insecticide cans, and other nondescript trash.

“Yep,” Arouna said soberly, “the other day a kid stuck his hand in there and got it bitten right off before a man pulled him out.” He continued, with a straight face: “…and behind that wall lives a hippo!” I didn’t know what to believe anymore.  I do know that I’m going to find out why we have crocodiles in our neighborhood!

photo: our neighborhood crocs taken by @debrajoykahn