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.

MNDF launches crocodile hunt in Meedhoo - minivannews.com

29 December 2011

Maldives National Defence force (MNDF) has launched  a “crocodile hunt” near waters of Meedhoo island of Raa atoll, after locals reported spotting the creature.

According to MNDF, the crocodile is reportedly 10 feet long and was seen by several islanders moving near a fish enclosure in the waters surrounding Meedhoo.

Last February, a six-foot crocodile was found near the waters of Naifaru in Lhaviyani atoll by a fishing boat crew, while another four-foot croc was apprehended by authorities in January in Thaa Atoll.

In an earlier interview to Minivan News, Maldives-based marine biologist Verena Wiesbauer said the appearance of the animals is a “surprising” and rare occurrence within the country.

Although not professing to be a crocodile expert, she said that although species such as saltwater crocodiles were common in India, it was “quite surprising” to find them in the atolls of the Maldives.

Wiesbauer claimed that she believed it would probably be these saltwater crocodiles that have been most recently discovered in the Maldives and although they are rare, the public should be careful.

The last previous reptilian stranger to be found in the Maldives, a nine foot-long crocodile called ‘Kimboo’, is currently kept in the Kudakudhinge Bageecha (children’s park) in Male’, after being caught by MNDF cadets in 1998.

In July 2010, students at Billabong High School in Male’ launched a campaign to ‘Save Kimboo’, due to the small size of its enclosure and poor treatment.

Kimboo occasionally makes an appearance in local news and even has his own Facebook page calling for his release, however nothing has developed.

One Comment on "MNDF launches crocodile hunt in Meedhoo"

Dhivehi Hanguraama on Fri, 30th Dec 2011 8:04 AM 
What kind of retarded child cares about a crocodile?
What on earth are these white devils teaching our children?


(I had to post this article mostly for this comment that appeared with the story! - Jenn)

Crocodile sighted in Dusi River - timeslive.co.za

29 December 2011

A crocodile has been sighted in the Dusi River near the Papwa Sewgolum Golf Club in Durban, race organisers said on Thursday.

The crocodile - reported to be 2.5m long - was seen in the late afternoon on Wednesday, Unlimited Dusi Canoe Marathon spokesman Ray de Vries said.

Race organising committee chairman Cameron Mackenzie said in a statement the Dusi Umgeni Conservancy Trust had removed most of the hyacinth, a surface-covering weed, from the river. This meant crocodiles' mobility was less restricted than before.

De Vries said if paddlers saw a crocodile, they should notify the race organisers at info@dusi.co.za, who would then contact conservation officials.

Nearly 1800 paddlers were expected to enter the race.

It starts on February 16, 2012 in Pietermaritzburg and ends in Durban on the 18th.

(Hmmm… not sure you'd get me paddling that river… -Jenn)

Crocodile stolen from Snowtown - abc.net.au

14 December 2011

A Snowtown woman returned from a weekend trip to find that her pet freshwater crocodile, Pinocchio, was missing.


South Australian Police confirmed the crocodile had been stolen from its cage and are appealing for the public to help.

South Australian Police confirmed a crocodile has
been stolen from it's cage and are appealing for the
public to help. (ABC)

Owner Lorraine Samuels says she is worried about what may have happened to him.

"My worst fear is that someone has eaten him because crocodile meat has become a delicacy."

Mrs Samuels says she hopes that someone who really, really loves crocodiles has her 70cm long pet.

"He's gone...and now we've just got an empty enclosure sitting there. It's very sad."

ABC Mornings presenter, Ann Jones, spoke to Lorraine Samuels, click on the audio to hear the full interview.

Croc skins new focus for farmers - phnompenhpost.com

28 December 2011

Crocodile farmers in Siem Reap are turning away from the export of hatchlings to Vietnam, choosing instead sell the reptiles for their skins.

Luon Nam, president of the province’s Crocodile Feeding Association, said yesterday the reliance on Vietnam was an unsustainable strategy for the industry. 

Any change in demand from Cambodia’s eastern neighbour left farmers vulnerable to falling prices, he said. 

The CFA shipped about 200,000 crocodiles to Vietnam this year. That was 100,000, or 33 per cent, fewer than in 2010, Luon Nam said.

“The recent decrease in crocodile babies is because we have only the Vietnamese market, and that puts pressure on us,” he said.

Newly hatched crocodiles had fetched US$27 each earlier this year, but later fell by as much as 37 per cent to $17, Luon Nam said. This had pushed farmers towards the sale of crocodile skins instead, he said. 

“Feeding for skins is expected to see strong demand, because they are wanted in Vietnam, China, Thailand and Singapore,” Luon Nam said.

Crocodiles were sold for their skins at the age of three, when they had reached a length of 1.7 to 1.8 metres, Heng Sovannara, chief of the Crocodile Development Division at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said  One centimetre of skin sold for between $5 and $6, he said.

Sieam Reap-based farmer Toem Bun Seng said he was feeding about 500 crocodiles that he would sell for their skins. 

Toem Bun Seng said he had moved away from selling hatchlings because of the volatility of the Vietnamese market. “I will increase the number of crocodiles I’m raising for skins next year,” he said, adding that he hoped the government would find ways to subsidise the growing industry.

Heng Sovannara said the government was encouraging farmers to focus on crocodile skins.

“We want farmers to think about the future, and that’s exporting skins,” he said.

Man dives into croc pool to rescue mower - ninemsn.com.au

28 December 2011

A daring reptile park worker has dived into a monster crocodile's pool to retrieve a lawnmower just hours after the animal tried to attack staff at a Gosford wildlife park.

Australian Reptile Park curator Tim Faulkner was one of two workers who crept into the 5m croc's enclosure to grab the mower as the animal was lured away with kangaroo meat.

"I didn't mind jumping in the water, once the croc has fixed on a bit of food," he told AAP.

"Billy distracted him with 'roo meat and I just dove in and grabbed the mower."

Animal handlers at the park just north of Sydney were mowing the lawn at 8am (AEDT) this morning when the monster crocodile charged at them, grabbing the mower's wheel with its jaws.

He then dragged the mower into the park's pool with the engine still running.

The park's marketing manager Libby Bain told ninemsn staff were "flat out" getting the park ready this morning and used two mowers rather than one.

"He's very used to one mower but we think the second one is what's triggered him," Bain said.

Elvis, who has been described by park staff as the "unfriendliest crocodile you would ever want to meet", lost two teeth in the process.

Mr Faulkner said it probably wouldn't be the last time the 50-year-old croc made a nuisance of himself.

"He's just won a big game, so when we get in there to feed him later in the day he's going to be different crocodile, he's going to be the king," he told AAP.

Crocodile steals zoo worker's lawn mower -

28 December 2011 

A giant saltwater crocodile named Elvis with an apparent affinity for household machinery charged at 

an Australian reptile park worker Dec. 28 before stealing his lawn mower.

Elvis, a giant saltwater crocodile swims next to a lawnmower in his pool at the Australian Reptile Park at Gosford, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. The 16-foot (5-meter), 1,100-pound (500-kilogram) crocodile lunged out of its lagoon at a park worker tending to the lawn before stealing his lawn mower. (AP Photo/Libby Bain)

Visitors watch as Elvis, a giant saltwater crocodile swims next to a lawnmower in his pool at the Australian Reptile Park at Gosford, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011.  (AP Photo/Libby Bain)

A lawn mower sits on the bottom of a pool next to a 500-kg (1,100-lb) crocodile at the Australian Reptile Park near Sydney in this December 28, 2011 handout. Two workers at a reptile park near Sydney ran for their lives on Wednesday after the crocodile named Elvis suddenly lunged at them, snapping up their lawnmower and losing two teeth. 

Elvis the crocodile attacks a lawnmower at the Australian Reptile Park in Gosford, north of Sydney, in this still image taken from video December 28, 2011. 

Crocodile kills child on Lake Edward - newvision.co.ug

25 December 2011

A would-be festive Christmas turned tragic for a Kasese district family when one of their children was killed by a crocodile on Lake Edward.

The incident claimed the life of 15-year-old Joshua Tugume of Rwenjubu cell, Katwe town Council. Tugume was a P.3 pupil at Katwe Boarding Primary School.

Tugume’s friends, who narrowly escaped, said he was bathing in the lake when the crocodile attacked.

The area chairperson, John Kasingo, said another boy, Tumwine Nanyongo, had gone missing since the incident.

At the time of his death, Tugume was in the company of Bahati Musimba, Moses Byaruhanga, Bashir Ashrim, and a boy, only, identified as Ashraf.

The Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area acting area manager, Nelson Guma, confirmed the incident.

“Our marines have retrieved the body and they are also hunting for the killer animal,” Guma said.

 He said they would create barriers around watering points to ensure residents and their livestock access the lake safely.