Crocodile attacks teen
09/01/2008 14:04 - (SA)


Durban - A crocodile - suspected to be about 3.6m long - attacked a 15-year-old teenager in KwaZulu-Natal, police said on Wednesday.

Captain Jabulani Mdletshe confirmed the incident but said few details were available.

"All we know is that a young boy was attacked by a crocodile at a river in northern KwaZulu-Natal in the Jozini area on Sunday," he said.

A communications officer at the Jozini police station, who refused to be named, said they were aware of the incident but that it had taken place in the Mduku area, and that a case was being investigated.

"Two boys - aged 11 and 15 - were busy fishing in the Sibhicayi River in the Mduku area on Sunday evening when they saw a crocodile swimming really fast towards them," said the spokesperson.

"The crocodile pulled the 15-year-old under the water...and that was it," she said.

Police said the second boy ran to alert residents and the matter was reported to police.

"We believe the crocodile is about 3.6m long because there have been other sightings in this area ... this attack was not the first in the area," she said.

The victim has been presumed dead and police have opened an inquest docket.

The family of the deceased was not immediately available for comment.

Community resident Bheki Gumede said he too was aware of the attack.

"We went to the river and searched for the boy but no remains were found ... the family is really going through a tough time and we are trying to help them as best we can," he said.

Gumede said the reptile was huge and for the past several weeks, there had been several crocodile reports in the area.

"We believe there was a second attack yesterday (on Tuesday) at the same river but we have not been able to confirm it, as the person who witnessed the attack has gone missing," he said.

Jozini police said the matter was reported to KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife.

Maureen Zimo, KZN Wildlife spokesperson said they had had unconfirmed reports about a crocodile sighting in the Sibhicayi area.

She said officials from the organisation were sent out to the Mduku area on Wednesday and that they were awaiting feedback.

"This is not our jurisdiction but even if it isn't, we will still go out and help ... if there is a crocodile in that area and if it is a danger to residents, we will set traps to capture it and put it in a safe place," she said.

latest reports put this croc at 6m.(18') Parks officials believe it is the same one they tried to trap last year but their traps were not big enough to hold the animal.

So are they hiring for croc control officers now?

I have lots of experience shooting frogs and turtles out of ponds and rivers. Can't be that much different.

Later J -
Brian

Damn it Man-I was in that area in September and would have been happy to set up on a crocidile bait had I only known the problem existed.

Opportunity lost!

I have no idea why, but the game dept there are incredibly reluctant to issue hunting permits or destruction orders for crocs of hippos. All the waterways and especially Lake Jozini are thick with those two species, but getting permission to shoot any is very difficult.

nothing to catching this croc. just put hilary out in the river, one bite out of here and the croc will roll belly up

Two in KZN eaten by giant crocodile

Durban, South Africa


09 January 2008 05:27

At least two people have been eaten alive by a 6m-long crocodile in northern KwaZulu-Natal, police and wildlife officials said on Wednesday.

Jozini police and KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife officials said they were investigating a report that a third person may have also been eaten alive by the same crocodile on Tuesday afternoon.

KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife spokesperson Maureen Zimo said a 15-year-old boy -- who was fishing with his 11-year-old friend -- was dragged into the water and "eaten" by the crocodile at the Sibhicayi River in the Mduku area on Sunday.

A police communications officer at the Jozini police station, who refused to be named, believed the boy had been eaten in his entirety as police were unable to find any remains.

KwaZulu-Natal's provincial emergency medical rescue service confirmed that it had not received any calls in the area to retrieve a body.

"Two boys -- aged 11 and 15 -- were busy fishing in the Sibhicayi River on Sunday evening when they saw a crocodile swimming really fast towards them," said Zimo. "The crocodile pulled the 15-year-old under the water ... and that was it."

Police said the second boy ran to alert residents and the matter was reported to police. "There have been other sightings in this area ... this attack was not the first in the area," she said.

The family of the deceased was not immediately available for comment.

Wildlife authorities believed that the size of the crocodile had been understated at 3,6m.

Zimo said: "A while ago, there was a 6m croc that had attacked a resident. We set up a trap and captured it, but because of its size, it managed to escape. We believe this was the same croc that attacked the child on Sunday. We are planning to set up more traps to recapture the 6m croc and take it to a safe place where it will not harm people."

She said the increased attacks in the area were a result of the nearby Mzina Dam drying. The crocs had been breeding there. Before the onset of the rainy season, the reptiles had been slowly working their way down stream.

"In November, we captured two crocs at the Sibhicayi River and since then residents have been warned not to stand on the river's edge or fish because the river is infested with crocodiles," said Zimo.

Community resident Bheki Gumede said he too was aware of the attack on the child. "We went to the river and searched for the boy, but no remains were found ... the family is really going through a tough time and we are trying to help them as best we can," he said.

"We believe there was a second attack yesterday [Tuesday] at the same river, but we have not been able to confirm it -- as the person who witnessed the attack has gone missing," Gumede added. -- Sapa