Live Streaming: Great Adventure in the Wilderness Chapter 829

Chapter 829: Chapter 825: Hold a Spot, Not Ready Yet Chapter 829: Chapter 825: Hold a Spot, Not Ready Yet These past two days have been too busy, with several classes ending in the eighth week, exams to prepare for, a few experimental courses to attend, and physical tests in a few days, plus a lack of inspiration, I haven't taken any leave this month and have lost quite a bit of money.

Might as well secure a spot, then refresh this chapter later; no extra points needed.

It's too dangerous!

Witnessing several crocodiles dismembering a young camel in a short period of time, everyone inevitably shuddered in fear. Seeing Bi Fang less than three meters from the Heishui Riverbank, they all hurriedly urged him to move further away.

A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. This three-meter distance is like walking on a blade, with the cold gleam piercing to the bone.

“Don't worry, it's not that dangerous.”

Bi Fang smiled and pointed at the Nile Crocodile still tearing flesh from the young camel in the distance. Despite the exceptionally bloody and cruel scene, where the twitching camel legs could still be seen on the surface of the Heishui River, several adult camels remained quietly standing around this tragedy.

Instead of being disturbed by this scene, they simply stood in the river, lowered their heads to drink water, as if the deceased were not their own kind.

[What's going on here??]
[Are they that indifferent?]
[Why don't the crocodiles attack the large camels?]
“Do you see? Even though these large camels stand in the water, the Nile Crocodiles don't attack them, because they know that these big fellows are not something they can mess with. The relationship here between the crocodiles and camels is like that of crocodiles and hippos.”

Hearing Bi Fang compare crocodiles and hippos, the audience in front of the screen suddenly realized.

Though they hadn't eaten pork, they had seen pigs run. These two species were common in the animal world.

“Although hippos always stay in the water, they can swim and dive, are generally calm, but once they get angry, they often fight, injuring each other with their sharp teeth against the thick skin. Sometimes, when they get angry in the river, they dare to overturn small boats, even biting them in half.”

“Crocodiles have tough skin and flesh, but they don't compare to a small boat. An adult hippo can bite a large crocodile in half with one bite, while a crocodile's teeth can't handle a hippo; a hippo's speed in water and on land is faster than that of a crocodile; in terms of strength and size, hippos far surpass crocodiles.”

“Thus, in waters where hippos are present, crocodiles keep their distance. However, it's not quite accurate to say crocodiles don't attack hippos, because if the target is a small hippo, then it won't hold back.”

[These camels here are like hippos!]
“Exactly, the adult camels in the canyon are comparable to the hippos in the African Savanna. Although they don't have the terrifying biting power of a hippo, their attacking power is also not to be underestimated. A single kick could likely smash a crocodile's head.”

“Besides, have you noticed that the crocodiles here are generally smaller in size?”

A crocodile was basking in the sun on the shore, its mouth wide open. Bi Fang dismounted from the camel and walked closer, causing the viewers to be on tenterhooks, but comparing the two, this crocodile seemed to be less than two meters?

Compared to Alpha next to it, it seemed incredibly small and seemingly no match.

Such a large crocodile could only perhaps prey on a young camel.

“Although I've been calling them Nile Crocodiles, in reality, their name should be West African Nile Crocodile, or Desert Crocodile, West African Crocodile.”

[I get it, Desert Butcher Rek'Sai (laugh)]
“West African Crocodile, also known as West African Nile Crocodile or Desert Crocodile, was once thought to be a subspecies of the Nile Crocodile. However, a 2011 study revealed through DNA molecular evidence testing that there are differences in the skulls between Nile Crocodiles and West African Crocodiles; West African Crocodiles are an independent species.”

“However, as I've said before, many species names have become customary. Even if we recognize their true nature and change their scientific names, the usual name may not change, continuing incorrectly as it has.”

After comparing the size of West African Crocodiles, Bi Fang remounted Alpha and continued walking along the Heishui River.

“Since they are two different species, their sizes certainly can't be generalized,” he said.

“The Nile Crocodile is the largest crocodile in Africa and the largest reptile, with a length ranging from 2 to 6 meters. The largest subspecies has an average length of 3.7 meters, and among them, there's this infamous creature, not sure if any of you have heard about him, called 'Gustave.'”
[Gustave, that sounds familiar]
[Seems like I've heard of it]
[I have no memory of it]
[Get to the point]
Seeing the group's interest, Bi Fang didn't mind elaborating.

“It is said that the largest crocodile in the world is a Nile Crocodile named Gustave; its length exceeds ten meters. According to official statistics from Burundi, it allegedly killed nearly 300 people from 1992 to 2002.”

[Damn, how is that possible!]
[What kind of joke is this?]
[Is it that outrageous?]
[Really?]
[I don't believe it]
“Honestly, I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. But this crocodile is indeed very famous, and many records are officially claimed by the locals.”

Bi Fang gave a wry smile.

The Nile Crocodile is a dominant force in the water, and even on shallow banks, it can forcibly snatch prey right out of the jaws of the king of the savanna, the lion. A group of Nile Crocodiles are true amphibious rulers.

Generally speaking, most Nile Crocodiles throughout their lifetime don't exceed five meters in length or 600 kilograms in weight, but there are a select few, the chosen crocodiles, that are superior right from the egg.

After breaking out of their shells, they grow rapidly. If they manage to mature successfully, they generally reach about six meters in length. Other crocodiles would bow in submission to them, dominating the entire river.

Gustave was one of those chosen crocodiles. He was born in Burundi, located between Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, hidden within the country's largest lake, Tanganyika Lake, and was named “Gustave.”

His name was derived from the Swedish Emperor Gustav II, who once conquered half of Europe, exuding an aura of power and fierceness.

Many locals claimed to have seen this behemoth.

According to their descriptions, this massive crocodile could easily overturn fishermen's boats. Gustave would silently lurk in the water, waiting for prey to come close before launching a swift attack.

In 2004, a war broke out within Burundi. After the war ended, people suddenly remembered that they hadn't heard any news about Gustave for a long time.

In 2007, an eyewitness claimed to have seen Gustave again, but this time with a row of bullet scars, likely from a machine gun during the civil war.

[That's a bit far-fetched…]
[I don't quite believe it]
[I think it could be true, after all, you never know with nature]
[Indeed, nature is vast, there are always some anomalies]
“Master Fang, do you believe?”

“I?” Bi Fang pondered for a moment, then shook his head, giving an ambiguous answer, “I don't know if I should believe, but perhaps they really do exist.”

The power of nature is infinite, with always some elite individuals.

Although everyone is human, there are those who can run 100 meters in ten seconds or punch through a sandbag.

If possible, he really hoped that this crocodile named Gustave existed, and then he would go to see it himself.

“Compared to the Nile Crocodile, the West African Crocodile seems somewhat insignificant. The smallest adult crocodile is only 1 meter long, averaging 1.5-2 meters. The largest male West African Crocodile is 243.5 cm long, and if a bit of the tail was missing, then the total length would be 250 cm. The largest female West African Crocodile is 209 cm long.”

Having just heard about the legend of Gustave, the audience was still astonished by the strength of the Nile Crocodile, but now, hearing about the size of the West African Crocodile, they felt quite underwhelmed.

“The West African Crocodile mainly feeds on fish, birds, and frogs, and other small creatures like insects, which explains why it lacks the ability to hunt livestock, and how the indigenous people and crocodiles coexist peacefully.”

“The West African Crocodile lacks the ability to hunt large prey in the Sahara area, which is key to its survival in the desert, and is also the fundamental reason for its small size.”

“So, the West African Crocodile can't handle camels at all; it can only eat lone small camels. As for why the surrounding camels are so indifferent, it is also a natural norm. Apart from parents, generally no camel would extend a helping hand to a camel that has been preyed upon, perhaps because its parents are not nearby.”

That makes sense.

They finally understood.

“So, we really don't need to fear them, and crocodiles' speed actually isn't as fast as you think.”

Most crocodiles are very fierce and are the most patient hunters. In the instant they hunt, they can spring from the water like an arrow, appearing very forceful.

However, this is merely a brief act, fundamentally infeasible to maintain long-term.

Crocodiles have three running postures: like a snake, like a horse, or like a rabbit.

Like a snake is to creep forward, dragging its belly while pushing forward with its feet when in swamps and muddy riverbanks. This is the most commonly seen posture.

The second is a high gait: This type of gait is effective for clearing rocks and branches and requires the most energy, as it involves lifting the massive body off the ground.

The third is running: similar to a rabbit's jumps, where the crocodile pushes off with its hind legs and then lands on its forelegs, appearing to be leaping.

The audience imagined the scene of a crocodile hopping like a rabbit and didn't quite know what to say.

Seems, quite comical?

“But the latter two are usually seen only in young crocodiles; large crocodiles are mostly ideologists, very much like pythons.”

“Though much smaller than the Nile Crocodile, the West African Crocodile is average within the crocodile family; it's mediocre when compared to others, sufficient for short bursts, that is, the moment of attack. Thus, staying three meters away from the riverbank is already enough.”

Bi Fang casually threw a piece of ostrich meat. The nearby crocodile didn't budge until after Bi Fang had left, then the West African Crocodile slowly came forward and swallowed it.

“In Ancient Egypt, people even believed that being eaten by a crocodile was a great honor. The crocodile god Sobek carved on the Sonic Temple was thought to be based on the Nile Crocodile.”

“But myths like this always change with history. Since the 9th century AD, the Nile Crocodile has already become a hunting target for humans.”

“The Ancient Egyptians worshipped Sobek and the Pharaoh's reproductive powers, protecting the related crocodile god, but later on, Egyptians would also hunt crocodiles, seeing them as a source of protection and Pharaoh's power.”

“This perhaps is proof of social changes.”

Those who have studied archaeology know of the birth and death worship from ancient times, often carving sculptures of plump women.

Such body types were considered better for childbirth. With high infant mortality rates in early human societies, such worship was natural but as societies entered feudal times, human productivity advanced rapidly, people armed themselves, and the death rate decreased significantly, leading to the disappearing of these primitive birth and death worships.

The image of the crocodile thus naturally transitioned from a representation of fertility to a powerful emblem of authority.

“West African Crocodiles are more docile than Nile Crocodiles, selected by Ancient Egyptians for their spiritual rituals, including mummification.”

“From historical accounts, both West African Crocodiles and Nile Crocodiles inhabited the lower Nile region in Egypt, with Ancient Greek historian Herodotus being one of the first to record and study crocodiles, mentioning that picking crocodiles for priestly duties in Ancient Egypt was selective.”

“The priests were aware of the differences between the two species; the West African Crocodile being smaller, more docile, easier to capture and tame.”

“Herodotus also noted that some Egyptians kept crocodiles as prestigious pets. In Sobek's Arsinoe Temple, a crocodile was kept confined, where it was fed, adorned in jewels, worshipped.”

“When a crocodile died, it was also treated with embalming, turned into a mummy, placed in a sarcophagus, then buried in a sacred tomb. Many such mummified specimens, even crocodile eggs, have been discovered in Ancient Egyptian tombs.”

“Recent DNA analysis suggests that crocodile mummies found in Thebes's cavities, Cave Samoun, and those in Upper Egypt all belong to this species.”

[Another enlightening day]
[Learned too much, brain burnt out]
Bi Fang rode a camel across most of the Heishui River, encountering a never-ending stream of camels, and saw numerous fragments of pottery on the ground.

[What are these fragments? Garbage?]
[So many human traces here]
[Murals and pottery, this place must have been thriving in the past, right?]
Bi Fang did not comment.

“In about 1840, religious Berber people and Bedouin had migrated southward from the north, replacing the indigenous Tuareg people, bringing the current name to the Oasis.”

“The influx of outsiders brought commercial prosperity once again, with the first European to discover this place, Rohlfs, entering Dachi by following the newly formed Sahara Trade Route.”

“However, the local residents were very hostile towards the foreign Europeans; Rohlfs's exploration team was besieged by locals, nearly losing their lives.”

“Eventually, the exploration team fled north all the way to Benghazi. Of course, going to Chad was out of the question, but discovering Dachi was enough to boost his reputation significantly.”

[No wonder they opted for circumcision as a disguise, haha]
[Sounds pretty dire]
[That's extremely dangerous, nearly primitive]
[Not much different, honestly.]
The commercial prosperity turned this oasis into an ideal water storage location, naturally leading to an abundance of practical pottery.

Yet, after the year 2000, any jars that were slightly intact were either taken or smashed to pieces, and Bi Fang, visiting the place himself, only saw numerous scattered fragments, none of them whole.

[Ah, hasn't the local government protected them? They're all antiquities]
“This is a common misconception; not all antiques hold value–only those with cultural and historical significance can fetch a good price. These pottery jars are not from too long ago, and their designs are plain; mainly they are practical.”

“Historical value, cultural value, artistic value all are absent; they're hardly different from rubbish, perhaps slightly better but not worth the significant cost to protect.”

Chapter end

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