Crocodiles roaming homesteads at night -

30 December 2011

HLANE – People are living  in fear of crocodiles that are killing livestock and being found in homesteads at night. The communities of Hlane in the Lubombo region and Nkambeni in the southern Hhohho are under siege from crocodiles. Two crocodiles have been caught this week by officials from the Big Game Parks. A crocodile killed a calf at Hlane on Monday this week. It is believed that the heifer had gone to the river to drink water. The incident has alarmed residents whose only source of water is the White Mbuluzi River. According to Dumisa Nkentjane, a member of the Royal Protection Unit and Hlane community police, the White Mbuluzi River is infested with crocodiles as they are more visible and most active in the summer. The summer is generally the season when they feed and are more visible. Nkentjane said the crocodile was captured with the help of Big Game Parks on Monday this week, but the attacks on livestock have not stopped leading residents to believe that more crocodiles lurk in the river. Nkentjane said the presence of the reptile at the river was reported to Big Game Parks soon after it was spotted. After the report was made the crocodile pounced on the heifer. "I found the heifer dead in the water, I didn’t think it had been killed by a crocodile until I noticed as I dragged it out of the water that it was partially eaten. I panicked when I realised what had happened, it hit me that I had put myself at risk of being savaged by the crocodile by getting in the water," said  Dan Hlatjwako who works at the nearby Takhamuti Farmers Association at Hlane. After the attack on the heifer, Big Game Parks set a trap and the crocodile was captured on Monday. "Although it was captured we believe more reptiles roam the waters. There is another at Etingadzeni where it is menacing people, residents cannot even go into the water because of its presence. Our livestock still get attacked by the other crocodiles, though unsuccessfully so far, but we notice gaping wounds on the muzzles of the livestock," said Nkentjane. Report the crocodile to Game Rangers at Big Game Parks – 23838100 or 25283943/4 or your nearest police stations.