Myths about the Nile

The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is a species of large, mostly aquatic reptiles that lives along the banks of the Nile River. Their population is between 250,000 – 500,000, and their presence spans the entire continent of Africa.

The Nile Crocodile, was once at the brink of extinction worldwide, has made a comeback in the past few decades. So yes, you can encounter crocodiles in the Nile. 

How do you know if you have spotted a Nile crocodile? For starters, this species can grow up to 20 feet long—even larger than some dinosaurs!

The short answer here is no, it's not drinkable by any means! Even though it might seem tempting to go ahead and drink from this giant body of water, it's not safe at all and can cause some pretty major health issues including: Hepatitis A, typhoid fever, cholera, polio, meningitis, giardia.

If you drink water from the Nile, boil it first. 

If you are wondering if you can swim in the Nile River, there are several things to think about before actually jumping into the waters. There are a lot of diseases that live within rivers and lakes. There are many people that use this body of water for their daily lives, so it tends to be very contaminated. It is not very safe, due to the presence of Schistosomiasis in the Nile.

However, designated beaches and shores along the Nile with clean waters and high flow are safe to swim in. 

The Nile perch, the bolti (a species of Tilapia), the barbel, and several species of catfish are the most common fishes in the Nile. ThePerch being the largest. Catfish are common throughout Africa, and some catfish in the Nile are almost six feet long.

Surprisingly, yes. The Dice water snake lives in the area of the Nile Valley and youcan encounter it if you swim in the Nile.