The crocodile feeder of Ivory Coast

[Still Waters]

For visitors to Yamoussoukro, the official capital of Ivory Coast and the birth place of its first president, the crocodiles are a major attraction, especially at feeding time.

For close to four decades Dicko Toki, originally from neighbouring Mali, was in charge of feeding the sacred animals.

He knew them all by name and they responded to his call - Capitaine, Chef de Cabinet, Commandant - authoritarian names, for these were the guardians of Ivory Coast's founding father, Felix Houphouet-Boigny, who governed for 33 years and shared Dicko's nickname - Le Vieux (the old).

Le Vieux Dicko carried out his dangerous work for years but the best he could offer his family was a simple one-storey home around a crowded courtyard.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...gazine-19576296

[buckskin scout]

For visitors to Yamoussoukro, the official capital of Ivory Coast and the birth place of its first president, the crocodiles are a major attraction, especially at feeding time.

For close to four decades Dicko Toki, originally from neighbouring Mali, was in charge of feeding the sacred animals.

He knew them all by name and they responded to his call - Capitaine, Chef de Cabinet, Commandant - authoritarian names, for these were the guardians of Ivory Coast's founding father, Felix Houphouet-Boigny, who governed for 33 years and shared Dicko's nickname - Le Vieux (the old).

Le Vieux Dicko carried out his dangerous work for years but the best he could offer his family was a simple one-storey home around a crowded courtyard.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...gazine-19576296

Fascinating article, sad but not shocking. Crocodiles are wild animals afterall.

And said to be quite intelligent for a living dinosaur. I have the same weird fascination and awe of crocodiles as I do great white sharks.