Apex Predators Of The Zambezi

In search of tiger fish in africa with chris howell.

- Chris Howell

A hot wind hit me in the face, as the airplane doors opened onto the scorched tarmac of Harare Airport. After a 20 hour flight over most of Africa, we had arrived in the wild and wonderful country of Zimbabwe.

The Target

Our mission was to catch the mighty Zambezi River predator, the Tiger fish.

The prized fish, is a fearsome apex predator, known to grow to over 35lbs. Similar in many ways to its English cousin the pike or its Amazonian brother the Piranha, it ambushes any passing small fish, swallowing it whole or slicing it to pieces with its sharp teeth. Not only striking at any prey fish, but also known to eat frogs on the surface, jump from the water taking small birds in flight and even cannibalising on their own young. With teeth more reminiscent of a great white shark, this prehistoric looking monster is known as one of the strongest fighting fishes in the world, punching well above its weight, with a large fan tail and steam train like runs.

The Team