Gelt Archey: how in the middle of the Sahara were Nile crocodiles

Not all Nile crocodiles are dangerous and bloodthirsty giants. In one of the oases of the Sahara, an isolated population of this species lives, which is distinguished by its more modest size and meek disposition. The main menu of these reptiles is fish and frogs, and they never attack people and camels who stop to quench their thirst after a long transition.

In the period of the Atlantic optimum, as scientists call the warmest period of the Holocene, observed about 5.5-9 thousand years ago, the Sahara was completely different. Tropical forests grew here, and heavy rainfall was enough to ensure the existence of full-flowing rivers and lakes. Just in this era of prosperity, Nile crocodiles penetrated far inland of the Sahara, populating vast territories. But the climate began to change. Sahara turned into an almost uninhabited sea of ​​sand, and the remains of aquatic inhabitants took refuge in shallow reservoirs preserved in secluded corners. One of these was Arsha's gelt, where to this day Nile crocodiles live. In the Sahara only two such unique places have survived, where Nile crocodiles live in isolation, without communication with rivers or other lakes. Another is located in Mauritania.

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