03 March 2022•Update: 03 March 2022
HARARE, Zimbabwe
As the world commemorates World Wildlife Day on Thursday, villagers in the southern African country of Zimbabwe say, they have no choice but to live near wildlife habitat to earn a living despite being attacked by crocodiles.
Abraham Mukono, the chairperson of the Nyanyana Anglers Association in Kariba, continues fishing in the Kariba Lake despite being attacked by crocodiles.
“I have been a fisherman since 2000 when I was laid off work at Kariba Council but was first attacked by a crocodile in 2010 on the New Year’s Day. I sustained injuries on my ankle and was in the hospital for a few weeks,” he said.
Showing his injuries, he said recently the crocodile even dragged him into the water when he was fishing. He was rescued by his colleagues from the strong jaws of the reptile.
“I sustained injuries on both legs such that I was hospitalized for two months,” he said.
He said in the face of people who have lost their jobs, companies closing, there are no other means of survival, but to catch fish from the lake.
Another Kariba-based fisherman Tineyi Mhandu, 48, was attacked twice but is still fishing in absence of any other source of living.
“I did not start fishing because I loved, but owing to poverty in 2007, after losing my job as a miner. I take care of my wife and three kids, two young brothers, and my mother in the rural home,” he said.
Now when everyone is fishing, the price of fish has gone down to $ 2.50 from $ 3.50. To add salt to injury, the catch per day is also dropping down drastically.
Cases of wildlife conflict involving crocodiles are on the increase in the region, due to people encroaching on their habitat.
According to Phillip Bere, a Zimbabwean wildlife scientist based in South Africa, it appears that the population of crocodiles is increasing in the region.
“What is precise is that crocodiles have slow metabolism hence they spend a lot of time before getting another meal. So, the increase of crocodile attacks can only be co-related to the fact that crocodiles are increasing in population,” he said.
Competition for food
He said that depletion of fish in water bodies and reduced population of small game animals is also forcing crocodiles to attack humans.
“The depletion of food in the water and other wild animals will leave the crocodiles without an option but to catch the next thing that looks like food and in this case – humans,” he added.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management (ZimParks) spokesperson Tinashe Farawo said every
year crocodile and elephant attacks account for most of the human deaths and injuries. 2021 witnessed 71 deaths and 50 injuries against 60 deaths and 40 injuries in 2020.
According to Farawo elephants and crocodiles accounted for 90% of deaths followed by lions and buffalos.
“We are raising awareness and asking people to desist from going into areas where they may get attacked by wild animals. But they tell us that they need to survive and will go back to fishing after let’s say a crocodile attack,” he added.
