Customer Reviews

National Geographic's Crocodiles: Here Be Dragons [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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!

My students who are a bloodthristy crew if ever there was one just loved this film. If you have a pack of Teen age students, then here you go when you want Mr. VCR to teach.