The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) officers have gunned down crocodiles that have been terrorizing people in Lake Bangweulu of Chilubi district in Northern Province.
ZAWA area Warden Lewis Daka confirmed the development to ZANIS and that his officers swung into action to eliminate the crocodiles that have been attacking people in the district.
Mr. Daka said the move follows numerous cases of people being attacked and killed by reptiles.
He said government had deployed officers from Lusaka to Chilubi to rid the area of the crocodiles which are on rampage.
Mr. Daka explained that so far officers have managed to gun down two big crocodiles from the lake adding that the battle will continue until the area becomes safe for human life.
And Chilubi District Commissioner Boniface Kamanda has commended ZAWA for the exercise.
Mr. Kamanda explained that every year the district records more than five cases of people being killed by the aquatic reptiles.
He said each time there was a case of that nature police officers fought running battles with residents in the area as they accused them of siding with people they suspected to be using witchcraft through the reptiles.
“Most of the people here believe that real crocodiles do not attack people unless wizards who turn into crocodiles and attack people for rituals,” said Mr. Kamanda.
Recently a 28-year-old-man of the same area escaped death after being attacked by a crocodile while fishing in Lake Bangweulu.
This [prompted residents to start request government’s intervention by sending for ZAWA officers to come to their rescue.
ZANIS
This is good news, ZAWA we urge you to do the same in Chipepo on lake Kariba, Crocs are having a field day catching people there who are drawing water, irrigating their crops and also their livestock is being caught by the beast.
@ Jameson, “we” with who?
Why you call on ZAWA to kill your friends, is their lives not worth living? You PF are becoming too much at killing things, I think first was Maikoni brothers… now you even resort to reptiles… all the way from Lusaka!!
When I enter someones home illegally, they will beat me up or even shoot me dead. If the fishermen and people are going to the rivers and being attacked by the crocs, they have crossed the legal line. The crocs have families they need to protect. Instinct makes them fight back. So, unless ZAWA is cropping them, crocs should not die because they were protecting their own kind. Clare Chona.
Are you one of the crocs?
I saw the last lioness of Zambia, very sad. People in Chipepo need the City council to fit water pipes near their villages. The Rivers and lakes are home sweet home to the crocs. Unless they are being cropped, crocs should not be killed in their own home.
You fool
Good eating, more spare ribs and steaks on your plate.
Great news. Better than opposition and ruling party mps increasing their salaries.
hope they were not some people hahahahahha…… Water and Sanitation systems needed as long term solution
At least! Let us poach everything till there is nothing remaining!
… we can grow chimanga to the barron land! Maybe the Muzungu’s will pay money to view chimanga in the natural surrounding!
Your effort never at all cost been appreciated by thes pipo weak up.
Is shooting the only thing in the ZAWA manual.
The death rate is much much higher than 5 per year, some of these crocs have learnt to put humans on their regular diet, they need to be shot. Govt will never put up safe water systems or wells in these remote places so shooting the reptiles is only solution at the moment. Its easy to be conservational at a distance but once youre there and your life is threatened youll quickly change your mind.
I hope we can reach a stage where relocation to zoos or some other places could an option, not just shooting. I sympathize with the affected families.
In chilubi many pipo turn into crocs at wil,