Snap to it: Cuban Crocs Close Up

Nick Robertson-Brown, 62, and his wife Caroline, 41, took the tooth-filled images whilst diving with the underwater beast in its natural habitat.

The close-up photo opportunity was the first time the couple had ever been in the water with a crocodile.

Local dive guides, working for Avalon Cuban Diving Centers, have named the photogenic croc Niño, which means baby.

The guides have been working with the snap-happy croc since he was very small, so he is now quite used to photographers getting up close.

The couple’s guide Gustavo stayed on a small boat, and called Niño, who then swam out of the trees to see them - allowing Nick and Caroline to capture the extraordinary pictures.

The images were taken in Jardines de la Reina, Cuba in very shallow water next to a patch of Mangrove trees.

The husband and wife team and have been working together for 12 years, first as dive instructors and later as underwater photographers.

Nick said: “We got into the water with the croc and got so close, his teeth were almost touching our camera housings.

“It is a wild animal, so you have to be very careful, moving slowly and smoothly in the water so as not to startle or scare the croc.

“Whilst we never felt in danger, as the croc was moving in a very easy going way, it is still an amazing, adrenalin filled experience.

“Jardines de la Reina is hard to get to and only 700 divers are permitted to go there each year.

"It takes a seven-hour bus ride and then a six-hour boat journey from Havana to reach it - but it is well worth it with pristine reefs and amazing animal encounters.”