Khaleej Times

Nubians tame crocs for selfie-snapping tourists

- ANIMAL TOURISM

aswan (Egypt) — Deep in the Nubia, a region along the Nile in southern Egypt, a baby crocodile sits on Mamdouh Hassan’s shoulder to wow tourists.

The reptiles are a source of income for Egypt’s Nubian minority, with visitors paying to marvel at the tamed creatures.

But beyond bringing in tourist dollars, crocodiles play an important role in the culture of the ethnic group with a history dating to Pharaonic times and its own unique language.

The Nubians traditiona­lly lived along the banks of the Nile in southern Egypt with roots extending into northern Sudan.

In Gharb Soheil, a Nubian village near Aswan, mummified crocodile heads still adorn the doors of the traditiona­l blue and white domed homes.

Crocodiles represent an important physical totem of blessings in Nubian belief. In Gharb Soheil a stuffed crocodile on the door shows that the homeowner keeps the large reptiles as pets.

Outside his humble home in the village, Hassan gently rubbed the back of

Francesca — a 1.5-metre-long, 15-year-old crocodile.

“I have raised her since she was born,” the 45-year-old said lovingly of his pride and joy. “She lives on fish, meat and chicken.”

Hassan learnt to domesticat­e crocodiles from his father.

“My father was one of the first people in the Nubian village who really pioneered the idea of bringing in crocodiles as pets to lure tourists,” he said.

In the 20 years since, he has developed a keen sense for where and when wild crocodile eggs will hatch.

Female crocodiles lay their eggs along the banks of Lake Nasser where Hassan watches for the baby reptiles to emerge before carrying them home.

“The crocodile’s aggressive nature is tempered by growing up in the home with us and being cared for,” he said.

Francesca is the star of the show in the village, Hassan says. She was named by Italian tourists who enjoyed her sunny personalit­y, so Hassan kept the name.

Visitors snap selfies with the lounging beasts, while the villagers regale the tourists with Nubian folk tales about the crocodiles.

Hany, a tourist from Cairo, was delighted with the spectacle of Hassan opening the crocodiles’ mouths wide with his bare hands.

“I came here with my family to spend school holidays, for the kids to enjoy seeing the crocs,” the 35-yearold said. For ancient Pharaohs, the crocodile-headed deity Sobek embodied the fluid nature of the Nile and was prayed to for protection from the annual floods.

 ?? AFP ?? TOURIST ATTRACTION: Mamdouh Hassan shows a crocodile to visitors at his house in the Nubian village of Gharb Soheil. —
AFP TOURIST ATTRACTION: Mamdouh Hassan shows a crocodile to visitors at his house in the Nubian village of Gharb Soheil. —

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