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Man-Eater of the Congo

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  • Chris Korbulic, an American kayaker, has completed unprecedented river descents in Pakistan, Central Africa, Venezuela, and India.
  • Ben Stookesberry, an American expedition kayaker, was named a National Geographic Adventure Hero of the Year in 2007.
  • Chris Korbulic and Ben Stookesberry prepare to explore the Lukuga River in search of crocodiles.
  • Chris and Ben return to the place on the Lukuga River where Hendri Coetzee, their friend, was killed by a massive Nile Crocodile.
  • The team assembles a trap in hopes of trapping a problem crocodile near Kabeya Maji.
  • Clouds settle over the Lukuga River near Kabeya Maji. This is the site where only seconds after Hendri Coetzee was attacked by a Nile crocodile and Ben Stookesberry and Chris Korbulic knew he couldnt be saved. It was an accident that rocked the kayaking world, and that changed the two kayakers forever.
  • Matt Wright, a crocodile wrangler hailing from Australia, made his first trip to the Congo to attempt to capture a crocodile that has claimed victims in Kabeya Maji.
  • Mick Burns, the owner of Darwin Crocodile Farm, the largest crocodile farm in Australia, scans the area for signs of crocodiles.
  • The Croc team riding a makshift ferry across the river.
  • Ben standing in the campsite talking to the children of the village. Taking refuge in a nearby village after the attack, Stookesberry and Korbulic were told that several people had been killed by the same croc. Villagers claimed the attacks had become so frequent that they no longer felt safe fishing. Since the river was their only source of water, even dishwashing had become a potential danger.
  • Matt Wright and Ben Stookesberry build a trap in hopes of catching a crocodile that has plagued fisherman in Kabeya Maji village.
  • The crew sleeps in tents next to the headman's house in Kabeya Maji, a small village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • Kabeya Maji has lost several people to crocodile attacks over the past few years.
  • Pete Meredith, Ben Stookesberry, Chris Korbulic, Mick Burns, and Matt Wright take a moment with one of the crocodiles captured in the pen.
  • Ben looking down at the croc with Donald Strydom.
  • Croc Wrangler Matt Wright holding s crocodile's snout.
  • A Crocodile sitting in water with rope around it's mouth. The croc has been captured by the team assembled by Ben and Chris.
  • Close up of a crocodile's teeth.
  • The team releases one of the captured crocodiles back into the wild.

  • Meet Chris Korbulic

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Chris Korbulic, an American kayaker, has completed unprecedented river descents in Pakistan, Central Africa, Venezuela, and India.

  • 2007 National Geographic Adventure Hero

    Photograph by Matt Wright

    Ben Stookesberry, an American expedition kayaker, was named a National Geographic Adventure Hero of the Year in 2007.

  • Crocodile Search

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Chris Korbulic and Ben Stookesberry prepare to explore the Lukuga River in search of crocodiles.

  • Site of the Attack

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Chris and Ben return to the place on the Lukuga River where Hendri Coetzee, their friend, was killed by a massive Nile Crocodile.

  • Trap in Kabeya Maji

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    The team assembles a trap in hopes of trapping a problem crocodile near Kabeya Maji.

  • Lukuga River in Congo

    Photograph by Chris Korbulic

    Clouds settle over the Lukuga River near Kabeya Maji. This is the site where only seconds after Hendri Coetzee was attacked by a Nile crocodile and Ben Stookesberry and Chris Korbulic knew he couldn’t be saved. It was an accident that rocked the kayaking world, and that changed the two kayakers forever.

  • Crocodile Wrangler

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Matt Wright, a crocodile wrangler hailing from Australia, made his first trip to the Congo to attempt to capture a crocodile that has claimed victims in Kabeya Maji.

  • Lookout For Crocodiles

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Mick Burns, the owner of Darwin Crocodile Farm, the largest crocodile farm in Australia, scans the area for signs of crocodiles.

  • Team Croc

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    The Croc team riding a make shift ferry across the river.

  • Village in Fear

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Ben standing in the campsite talking to the children of the village. Taking refuge in a nearby village after the attack, Stookesberry and Korbulic were told that several people had been killed by the same croc. Villagers claimed the attacks had become so frequent that they no longer felt safe fishing. Since the river was their only source of water, even dish washing had become a potential danger.

  • Building the Fence

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Matt Wright and Ben Stookesberry build a trap in hopes of catching a crocodile that has plagued fisherman in Kabeya Maji village.

  • Stars Burn Bright Over Kabeya Maj

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    The crew sleeps in tents next to the headman's house in Kabeya Maji, a small village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

  • Kabeya Maji Village

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Kabeya Maji has lost several people to crocodile attacks over the past few years.

  • Crocodile Captured

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

     Pete Meredith, Ben Stookesberry, Chris Korbulic, Mick Burns, and Matt Wright take a moment with one of the crocodiles captured in the pen.

  • Ben Looks On

    Photograph by Chris Korbulic

    Ben looking down at the croc with Donald Strydom.

  • Wrangling the Croc

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Croc Wrangler Matt Wright holding s crocodile's snout.

  • Maneater Sighting

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    A Crocodile sitting in water with rope around it's mouth. The croc has been captured by the team assembled by Ben and Chris.

  • Crocodile Teeth

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    Close up of a crocodile's teeth.

  • Released Back into the Wild

    Photograph by National Geographic Channels

    The team releases one of the captured crocodiles back into the wild.

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