In ancient Egypt, the African sacred ibis was venerated (and mummified) as a symbol of the deity Thoth, who played an important role in stabilizing the universe. They’re also called “whaleheads” and “shoe-billed storks.” At 1.4 meters tall, these birds are related to the giant Goliath bird of Egypt’s Oligocene era. You won’t find them in Egypt anymore, but you can find them hanging out together on (and around) the Nile in Sudan.įun fact:The shoebill behavior of “siblicide” observed in chicks, where siblings aggressively attack and kill each other, has been studied extensively by scientists. These odd-looking birds are often called “monster” birds by scientists due to their prehistoric appearance. They’re also known for having incredibly long lifespans (a Queensland lungfish has been living at the Shedd Aquarium at Chicago since 1933).įun fact: The marbled lungfish has the largest genome of any known vertebrate on the planet, with 133 billion base pairs! African knifefish Like mudfish, marbled lungfish can survive droughts by burying themselves underground. Marbled lungfishĪlso known as salamanderfish due to their slender bodies and primitive leg-like fins, lungfish are unique to other fish because they possess lungs. Its long, slender and muscular body is powerful enough to pull a full-grown man to the bottom of a river (and yes, this has happened to fisherman in the Nile causing several deaths).įun fact:Vundu catfish have air-breathing capabilities that enable it to survive out of water for extended periods of time. The Vundu catfish, a fish of many names across many countries, can grow up to 130 kg. As bottom feeders, they can live on literally just about any kind of diet…including garbage. Okay, so maybe it’s not so surprising that catfish are one of the more common species in the Nile. During drought periods, mudfish bury themselves in the mud where they can survive for several months using a metabolism-slowing process called “aestivation” (similar to hibernation). But even with the mudfish’s unique ability to live in horrible conditions, you’d be lucky to spot one north of Lake Nasser.įun fact:No water? No problem. Catfish, in general, are known for their resilience, making them more likely than other species to survive in rivers with high rates of water pollution and habitat destruction. Mudfish (Clarias Anguillaris)Īlso known as the eel catfish, the mudfish is one of the few fish species capable of living in the Upper Nile. Although they tend to avoid people, tigerfish have been documented attacking animals as large as crocodiles.įun fact: If you think the Nile’s tigerfish are terrifying, just be glad the goliath tigerfish (the 1.5 meter long, 45 kg, razor-toothed giant African piranhas captured on the TV series RiverMonsters) have stayed South in the rivers of the Congo. Few attacks on humans have been reported but they appeared to be out of defensiveness rather than malice – just a few years ago a tigerfish bit a spearman in Kariba causing a gash that required 16 stitches. Their large, razor-like teeth and strong jaws make these fish vicious carnivores. Known as the “piranha of Africa,” the giant tigerfish is one of several fish species that makes its home in the Nile.
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