Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
27 crocodiles caught after farm escape but many still on the loose
ATTEMPTS to recapture the escaped Nile crocodiles from a breeding facility outside Bonnievale in the Western Cape are continuing.
CapeNature reported 27 of them had been recaptured. A further seven crocodiles had to be euthanised earlier this week and six others were spotted, but could not be recaptured. However, it is still unclear how many crocodiles managed to get away from the facility.
CapeNature spokesperson Petro van Rhyn said the overgrown river and dense vegetation on the riverbanks made it very difficult to recapture the animals.
“Being nocturnal animals, the best time to search for them is at night, which brings its own challenges in terms of visibility. As time is of the essence, CapeNature and the search party partners were left with no choice but to euthanise seven of the crocodiles spotted. Although crocodiles are indigenous to South Africa, they are not part of the natural fauna of the Western Cape.
“SAPS has availed four boats and eight police divers to assist in the nocturnal patrols searching for the escaped animals.
“Although trap cages with bait were put out in a first attempt to recapture the animals, this method proved to be less effective since the escaped animals have access to an abundance of food in the river.”
Chief executive of CapeNature, Razeena Omar, said she was saddened by the extreme measures this operation required, but “CapeNature regards the safety of the surrounding community first and foremost, which further accentuates the urgency of the recapturing of these wild animals”.
“The situation remains fluid and the recapturing techniques have to be effective in the best interest of public safety.
“The onus remains on wildlife owners to strictly adhere to permit regulations. A thorough investigation will be led by CapeNature to ascertain whether there was a breach in complying with the regulations which could have resulted in the escape of these young crocodiles.”
The public should not approach any crocodiles, but immediately report any sightings to the Bonnievale SAPS on 023 616 8060.