The ultimate snappy snap: Photographer's incredible close-ups of rare crocodiles that came back from brink of extinction - dailymail.co.uk

5 August 2011

Brave snapper spends eight days tracking crocodiles for close-up pictures

It takes an extremely brave photographer to try for a close-up this dangerous - especially when you could end up being 'snapped' at yourself.

But intrepid wildlife photographer Daniel Botelho put his life on the line in Botswana to capture these spectacular shots of a 15ft crocodile in its natural habitat.

Courageous snapper Mr Botelho came within inches of the lethal predators after photographing them in the Okavango River Delta in Botswana.

Make it snappy: Mr Botelho captures one of the rare crocodiles in its habitat in Botswana

Close-up crocs: A baby crocodile is captured by intrepid snapper Mr Botelho, who spent eight days waiting for the perfect shots

The revealing images he got are well worth the danger he put himself in, however, given the plight the crocodiles previously found themselves in.

The species have been hunted excessively by humans for their skin thanks to the demand for leather goods.

After International Trade Regulations in 1968 were introduced monitoring the hunting of crocodiles, the species are no longer endangered.

Mr Botelho spent eight days trying for the close-up in June after following the creatures on land and underwater.

The 30-year-old eventually got the shots he wanted and put his expertise down the closely watching the crocodiles' body language.

Keep your distance: Mr Botelho said he got close to the crocodiles by watching their body language and, if things looked dangerous, pretending to be a tree stump

Out of my way: Some of the crocodiles Mr Botelho came across in Botswana weighted as much as 600kg

He said: 'It was very hard to find a croc that allowed me to approach, I had enormous luck to have some that stopped for a while.

'When you are dealing with wildlife, you need to feel the body language of the animal. I need to be very calm and relaxed to make my approach.

'It was hardcore work to get in the water 10 to 15 times a day to get a one minute interaction.'

'The first time I saw a croc was a big one, and it was inside a cave.

'I couldn't believe his size, I almost cleaned my mask to check if I was seeing correctly.

Natural habitat: The crocodiles in Botswana used to be endangered before laws were introduced to stop them being hunted

Fearless: Mr Botelho prepares himself for a dive into the delta in Botswana where he captured the crocs on camera

'At that time all I felt was enchantment. They are beautiful underwater.'

While taking the pictures, Mr Botelho witnessed full grown crocodiles weighing over 600 kgs, putting him in serious danger.

'The crocodiles mostly feed on fish, but they are top predators, ready to take advantage of any prey that crosses their path,' he said.

'We tried to minimise our risks as much as possible, we never went straight to the croc with the current, never swam on top of them, and if one comes toward me, I was told to pretend I was a tree trunk.

'They can't see properly underwater but they can see contrast, and they also have pressure sensors to feel small movements in the water.'

The crocs travel well on land, but mostly live in freshwater rivers and lakes, as well as mangroves.