Product Details

• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Nat'l Geographic Vid
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 1998
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304474598
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #240,773 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Despite their deserved reputation as fearsome hunters, African crocodiles are surprisingly vulnerable prey. This 50-minute entry into the National Geographic canon chronicles the lives of these 16-foot long, 1-ton beasts that Africans call "the animal that kills while smiling." When not taking down unsuspecting wildebeests come to quench their thirst on the banks of the Grumeti River in Tanzania, the female crocodiles spend a good part of their year nurturing first their eggs and then their young. A mama crocodile may see 80 youngsters into the world each year, but an astonishing 90 percent will fall victim to the very animals their mother would have for dinner: monitor lizards, mongooses, perch. Actor Richard Kiley narrates a year in the life of these progeny of the dinosaurs. Both the cinematography and its subject matter are compelling, whether the "dragons" are using their famously powerful jaws to crush wildlife or tenderly carry their young. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Product Description

Measuring 16 feet long and weighing over a ton, many call the crocodile the last surviving giant of the dinosaur age. While crocodiles are one of the world's strongest and most feared predators, they are also extremely tender and protective parents. Travel to Africa's Grumeti River in Tanzania - where one of the largest croc populations thrives. Watch in suspense as a herd of thirsty wildebeest approach the crocodile-infested river to drink, unaware of the cold-blooded reptiles lurking at the water's edge. In slow-motion photography, you will witness thrilling scenes as the powerful beast dominates the waterway with its huge tail and crushing jaws. Come as close as you dare to CROCODILES: HERE BE DRAGONS.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful glimpse into the lives of these huge carnivores, March 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: National Geographic's Crocodiles: Here Be Dragons [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This great video may not be for everyone, but the in-depth natural history of these amazing animals kept me captivated. It contains lots of footage of these animals hunting, but spares any unsettling gore -- my five-year old son has watched it dozens of times, and freqently requests "the crocodile movie" over cartoons or kids movies. The contrast between the power of a giant crocodile eating a wildebeast -- and the same animal tenderly carrying her newly-hatched babies -- gives one plenty to think about concerning sterotypes of animals. I also liked the focus on the animals and their ecosystem, rather than on researchers, wildlife photographers, or human threats. It's strictly about the crocodiles, and it really delivers! This movie is a favorite in our video library, and shouldn't be missed.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I have seen ALL the CROCODILE Videos; This One is the BEST!, July 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: National Geographic's Crocodiles: Here Be Dragons [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I have seen ALL the Crocodile videos currently available and this one is by far the most comprehensive with regards to the Nile Crocs and how they live. By focusing on perhaps the most interesting group, the Gremeti River Crocs, this video delivers "the goods". From the edge of your seat hunting strikes to the caring raising of baby crocs, this video does not disappoint.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and Informative - Strongly Recommended!, September 3, 2003

By 

Warren J. Dew (Somerville, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: National Geographic's Crocodiles: Here Be Dragons [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This video, focusing on a group of crocodiles living in the Grumeti river where it is crossed by an annual wildebeest migration, provides a wealth of information about how crocodiles live, while still being enjoyable and entertaining.

This particular group of crocodiles, by virtue of the feast provided when the wildebeest migration passes through, grows to particularly large size. They still start out small, though - so the video is able to capture the entire crocodile life cycle, from foot long insect eating babies to antelope munching giants weighing over a ton.

While there are plenty of shots of these startlingly quick predators using their huge jaws to eat, other parts of the lifecycle also get plenty of time. For example, there's a segment on a crocodile nesting beach that not only shows how the crocodiles guard their eggs and care for their young - some of which become prey to other predators - but also shows how a range of other animals take advantage of the crocodiles' presence to provide a safer environment for their own nests.

I got this video as part of a set that I bought primarily for other videos about more popular mammals - but this one has become one of my favorites. If you do have some of those other videos, it can be interesting to contrast the behavior of lions and other mammals with these reptilian predators. And at the present price of less than [dollar amount], this video is an incredible bargain!