Nile Crocodile Head and Torso, Side View

Camera: Canon EOS 450D (Digital Rebel XSi); Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM Telephoto Zoom; Focal Length: 240mm; Shutter speed: 1/500; Aperture: f8; ISO: 800. Although the subject is in sunlight, this picture was taken in late afternoon with the sun low in the sky. While this has added warmth to the colors, the fading light did require a higher ISO to ensure a shutter speed that allowed the camera to be hand-held.

Location: Ndumo Game Reserve is situated in the northern part of South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, close to the Mozambique border.

Covering about 9 000 hectares, the reserve is internationally recognized for its outstanding bird life -- a result of its geographic location that attracts birds from regions to the north and south -- and boasts the highest bird count in South Africa with some 430 species.

Those visiting Ndumo can enjoy interesting wildlife sightings at a number of attractive pans fringed with yellow fever trees and reedbeds, while the surrounding acacia savannah, thick bush and sand forests provide additional opportunities to view the extensive wildlife.

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