Man survives crocodile attack

Sunday News Reporter

A MAN from West Nicholson in Gwanda suffered serious arm injuries when he was attacked by a crocodile but survived after he fought off the reptile, using a stone, that was trying to drag him into a dam until it released him.


The incident occurred last week in the crocodile infested Sibizini Dam that is in Dodbieurn range in the West Nicholson area.
Police spokesman for Matabeleland South, Inspector Tafanana Dzirutwe, confirmed the incident.
He said Tafadzwa Gwenzi and three other boys aged between 18 and 19 years went to the dam intending to poach fish.
“It is true that we received a report where a man whose age we could not ascertain sustained serious injuries after he was attacked by a crocodile while he and three others were poaching fish in Sibizini Dam. The man used a stone to attack the reptile that later released him and disappeared into the water,” he said.
The four had laid their nets in the dam and the following day while Tafadzwa was in the water checking the nets they had laid the previous day he was attacked by a crocodile that started to drag him to the deeper parts of the dam.
The crocodile, Insp Dzirutwe said, grabbed his hand and dragged him into the water while the other boys watched helplessly.
While he was being dragged he stumbled on a stone, grabbed it with the other hand and used it to attack the large reptile.
He struggled with the crocodile, hitting it with the stone until it released him and disappeared into the water.
Insp Dzirutwe said the other three boys then pulled him out of the water since he could no longer swim as the other arm was injured and was bleeding profusely.
After they had pulled him out of the water they left him lying by the dam side and ran home to inform his parents.
Employees in the range who were patrolling the area found Tafadzwa lying injured by the dam side bleeding profusely. They then quizzed him and he revealed that he was attacked by a crocodile while he was poaching fish in the dam.
They took him to the range owner who took him to hospital where he is receiving treatment.

My PH told me once that his 13 year old son was grabbed by a croc (He showed me exactly where it happened- the shallow edge of a water hole)The boy was grabbed by the thigh but fought himself loose. (Talk about a nightmare) It always has made me wonder whether crocs have the same vise like jaws of an American alligator or not. (I welcome viewpoints of Africa hands)