TIMES OF SWAZILAND (Mbabane) 13 January 11 Rangers catch crocodile that attacked boy (16) (Sibongile Sukati)
Mbabane: Game Rangers from Big Game Parks have caught a large crocodile suspected to have attacked a 16-year-old boy on Sunday.
The crocodile, which measures 3.6m, was caught on the same length of irrigation canal in which Mvelo Gumbi survived the attack.
According to a press release from the Big Game Parks, on Sunday the game rangers based at Mkhaya Game Reserve positioned a trap close to the point where Gumbi was attacked.
The rangers worked around the clock to capture the crocodile.
"On Monday morning when the trap was checked it was found that somebody had tampered with the trap and the door was closed," read the statement.
Big Game Parks said on Tuesday, the same thing happened, but this time somebody had tied the door open so that it could not close and the crocodile was seen close by in the water.
"This lack of co-operation by these unknown individuals is condemned as these actions frustrate progress and are in nobody’s interests," stated the press release.
According to the statement, yesterday, an arrangement was made with the owners of the canal to stop the water flow while a team of game rangers and police officers located the crocodile in the canal when the water level dropped.
"At this point the ran- gers and police managed to secure a rope and net on the crocodile which attempted to escape viciously but the collective efforts of the team saw the animal being safely loaded onto the vehicle and removed to one of the natio- nal parks," said Big Game Parks.
Although the canal is in the lowveld and despite the fact the crocodile has been removed, people are advised not to swim in it as there are likely to be more crocodiles in the area.
Big Game Parks further wished Gumbi a speedy recovery and said crocodiles have inhabited all the rivers and major water bodies in the lowveld and middleveld for millions of years.
"It is therefore impractical to capture every crocodile that is seen," read the statement.
Big Game Parks further advised, if a crocodile poses a danger to people or livestock, it should be reported to the nearest police station or to Big Game Parks so that appropriate action can be taken.
"Crocodiles are royal game and therefore well protected in Swaziland.
"One should not be tempted to take the law into their own hands as the capture, killing, transport, possession and keeping of all protected animals in Swaziland requires a Game Act Permit," read the state-ment.
Rangers catch crocodile that attacked boy

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