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Crocodiles in Ruvuma river earmarked for culling
By Felister Peter
18th November 2011


Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Ezekiel MaigeThe government has appointed three companies operating crocodile farms to harvest crocodiles in Mnavira and Chikolopoda areas along Ruvuma River.

Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Ezekiel Maige named the companies as Muze Crocodile Company of Sumbawanga, Kaole Crocodile Company of Bagamoyo and Cosam Crocodile Company of Sumbawanga.

The minister said the move followed an increase in the number of crocodiles in Ruvuma River. He said Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) had completed undertaking a crocodile census which had revealed a dramatic increase in the number of crocodiles in the two areas.

He said harvesting licences would be issued this month and the culling job was expected to start immediately.

He said the move would help to reduce the problem of crocodiles attacking people, especially women, when fetching water from the river.

He further explained that in 2008/2009 his ministry issued harvesting permits to 29 companies operating crocodile farms, but 28 companies returned the permits claiming to have not found any crocodiles.

Meanwhile, Maige has said that his ministry has decided to financially support construction of water wells in the two wards so that women would not have to take the risk of having an encounter with the crocodiles.

He said the ministry would provide 47m/-, adding that, to start with, it would be releasing 10m/- this month.

He said the water wells would be constructed in three districts, namely Nanyumbu, Lulindi and Masasi.

Maige was responding to a question from Lulindi legislator Jerome Bwanausi (CCM), who had queried delayed harvesting of crocodiles in the river and implementation of the minister’s promise to construct water wells.

In a related development, the minister said they had established a system under which people who fell victim of elephants would be compensated.

He said for every registered death, the government would pay 1m/- to family members within a month while those whose crops got destroyed would be compensated.

He said the government would shortly pay residents in Kyamulaile, Ruhunga and Mugajwale wards, in Bukoba rural district, whose crops were destroyed by elephants.

He was answering a question from Bukoba Rural MP Jasson Rweikiza (CCM), who wanted to know what measures the government was taking to help the residents of Kyamulalile, Ruhunga, Mugajwale and Kibirizi wards whose crops were laid to waste by elephants.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN