This 19th-century skin and head of a young African Nile crocodile has a nice patina and still has its sharply pointed, cone-shaped teeth. The Nile crocodiles are known for their extremely powerful bite, and their strength and teeth make them the largest freshwater predators in Africa. Since the 19th-century, skins of crocodilians have been used to make exotic looking luxury items. Stuffed crocodiles and crocodile skins with heads also found their way to natural history museums. Scientists wanted to research and catalogue exotic animal species, and others saw the crocodile skins as hunting trophies to show off.