Poachers bits

Conogre · 22nd March 2005, 06:44 AM

In my opinion, trying to drag a croc into a canoe is a bad idea right from the inception as we're dealing with an animal that has a lot of "reflex action" due to large nerve ganglia that is sort of a "step up transformer" from the small brain.
You see the jungle Jim types on animal planet occasionally, but often they were harpooned and then dragged by many individuals up on the bank for dispatching in reality when native populations were concerned.
The pygmy/ elephant point is well taken, but you're dealing with the forest elephant vs the Cape buffalo that isn't a forest dweller, but rather a savanah/plains animal that travells in large herds and a strong likelyhood that the Congo pygmies never even saw one...Africa is a BIG place with not everything found in the same area.
Jungle tribes tended to revere crocodiles rather than kill or poach them, while this attitude is clearly not seen in N. Africa, as evidenced by the many tebu daggers with crocodile belly skin utilized in the scabbards.
Actually, I find the habitats of the animal species much easier to keep track of than the various human populations, even when it's migratory species with a wide range!**grin**
I've got about 30 more years involved in animals than in antique weapons, and actually used to walk a real komodo dragon on a leash back in the 60's, a whole diffreent creature than a Nile monitor, even with the superficial resemblance.
Mike

tom hyle · 22nd March 2005, 08:45 AM

That is one dangerous animal; there is a high rate of incurability for the gangrene caused by its nonvenom (horrible horrible symbiotes in its spit).

22nd March 2005, 06:44 AM	#1
Conogre Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 371	In my opinion, trying to drag a croc into a canoe is a bad idea right from the inception as we're dealing with an animal that has a lot of "reflex action" due to large nerve ganglia that is sort of a "step up transformer" from the small brain. You see the jungle Jim types on animal planet occasionally, but often they were harpooned and then dragged by many individuals up on the bank for dispatching in reality when native populations were concerned. The pygmy/ elephant point is well taken, but you're dealing with the forest elephant vs the Cape buffalo that isn't a forest dweller, but rather a savanah/plains animal that travells in large herds and a strong likelyhood that the Congo pygmies never even saw one...Africa is a BIG place with not everything found in the same area. Jungle tribes tended to revere crocodiles rather than kill or poach them, while this attitude is clearly not seen in N. Africa, as evidenced by the many tebu daggers with crocodile belly skin utilized in the scabbards. Actually, I find the habitats of the animal species much easier to keep track of than the various human populations, even when it's migratory species with a wide range!grin I've got about 30 more years involved in animals than in antique weapons, and actually used to walk a real komodo dragon on a leash back in the 60's, a whole diffreent creature than a Nile monitor, even with the superficial resemblance. Mike

22nd March 2005, 08:45 AM	#2
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	That is one dangerous animal; there is a high rate of incurability for the gangrene caused by its nonvenom (horrible horrible symbiotes in its spit).