Inside Nyerere National Park
Archaic Struggles in Unfiltered Wilderness
Exactly three years ago, I witnessed one of nature’s most primal encounters—two lionesses battling a crocodile over a zebra’s lifeless body on the banks of Lake Nzerakera in Nyerere National Park. [Scroll down to see the full photo documentation below the text].
Nyerere National Park, carved from the famous Selous Game Reserve in 2019, covers an area roughly the size of Belgium or South Carolina. It’s one of the four UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites in Tanzania, but unlike the other three – Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Kilimanjaro—it remains mostly untouched by mass tourism. It’s here, in this wild and remote stretch of Tanzania, that you can become witness to some of nature’s most breathtaking dramas.
It was the end of the dry season, and the lakes along the Rufiji River were shrinking. During these times, it’s not uncommon for animals to get stuck in the mud as they come to drink, making them easy prey for the predators lurking nearby.
As we drove along the lake’s banks, we noticed a gathering of crocodiles, their enormous bodies crowded together. Alerted by our vehicle, most of them retreated into the water—65 crocodiles in total, their tails cutting through the mud. When they cleared, we saw the prize they had been squabbling over—a dead zebra. Only one crocodile lingered, unwilling to give up its claim.
Suddenly, two lionesses emerged from the bush. Unfazed by us, they approached the zebra, ready to take what they could. They began feeding, but the lone crocodile wasn’t about to let them have it easily. It edged closer, inch by inch, its tough snout enduring the lionesses’ desperate bites. The lionesses fought hard, but the crocodile’s persistence paid off. After about 45 minutes, it finally claimed the zebra, forcing the lions to retreat into the bushes.
As the lions slunk away, the rest of the crocodiles returned, emerging one by one from the water to join the feast. It was like watching an ancient ritual, a timeless struggle for survival.
In a strange twist, a large terrapin turtle wandered into the scene, finding itself caught between the hungry crocodiles. A number of crocodiles tried to crack its shell, but the turtle survived each attempt. Eventually, one crocodile dragged it into the water, and while we didn’t witness the end, we like to think the terrapin made it out alive.
Nyerere National Park and the remaining Selous are an enormous wilderness with an incredible biodiversity – the largest of its kind in all of Africa. Much of the park’s preservation is owed to a tiny but mighty creature—the tsetse fly.
Tsetse flies look very similar to horse flies. They are notorious for carrying diseases like sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in cattle. This has made cattle herding impossible here, which has kept the land untouched. When you visit Nyerere, you’ll likely encounter these flies, but they’re rarely a bother. Camps use dark-colored canvases soaked in agents that reduce their fertility. Usually tsetse flies are attracted more to dark colors like blue, which is another reason why one wears khaki or olive clothing in the bush.
Nyerere is a land of raw, unfiltered nature—where every moment feels like a step back in time. For more insights and photographs from Nyerere, visit the Destinations [link] section of this website.
Wondering if Nyerere should be part of your itinerary? Let’s discuss how you can best experience the park. Contact me — either by email conrad@shaukuafrika.com or WhatsApp +49 173 100 9055 — to start planning your adventure today.
