A series of tragic crocodile @ttacks have claimed the lives of four residents in Hunyani and the surrounding high-density suburbs near the Manyame River, which borders Chinhoyi town and Zvimba district. The Manyame River is a perennial water source and serves as a vital link between Lake Mazvikadei, also known as Lake Manyame, and Chinhoyi, making it an ideal habitat for crocodiles.
As urban development continues to expand, the risk of human-wildlife conflict has increased, leading to these d3adly encounters. While some locals have confirmed sightings of the crocodiles responsible for the @ttacks, others remain skeptical, believing that dark magic may be involved due to the elusive nature of the predators.
Naturally, crocodiles feast on hunted prey and leaving all the corps3s untouched has left more questions than answers to the community including Mr Abnoxious Bangira and Mr Peter Kanyuchi.
Mr Bangira said ever since he started staying in the town some 20 years ago, there were never issues of crocodiles loitering the area.
“These are crocodiles that are owned by people used for black magic purposes. How can we have crocodiles that @ttack, k!ll but not feast on their prey,” he said.
The crocodiles have ended the once-loved and source of recreation for most youths in the nearby suburbs.
They have also left those fetching water particularly for building purposes fearing for their lives.
Residents want the responsible authorities to k!ll the crocodiles.
Youthful Paddington James, who escaped the jaws of d3ath this January is convinced that a dark force is behind the predators’ att@cks.
“We are appealing for those responsible to gun down or drive away the animals. I almost lost my life to one of the crocodiles recently as I was fetching water. I always remember the near-d3ath experience and wonder what was going to be the end result had it been an elderly person,” he said.
He escaped the merciless @ttack of the crocodile by jumping a few centimetres from where he was.
His, is the same experience as that of Ms Jane Matesanwa of Brundish Corporate adjacent to Hunyani suburb.
She had gone to the river to fetch water for resale to those doing construction work. As she was fetching her second bucket, Ms Matesanwa said she was grabbed by the predator on the right leg.
“After realising that a crocodile had grabbed me, I stood still as I loudly cried for help. I believe it was the loud noise that frightened it,” she said.
When locals attempted to rescue a v!ctim from a crocodile @ttack, the predator vanished without a trace. This mysterious occurrence has only added to the fear and uncertainty surrounding the recent att@cks in the area.
The community has taken steps to minimize contact with the crocodiles by using a diesel-powered water pump to safely extract water from the river. However, financial constraints sometimes force residents to resort to manual water collection methods, putting them at greater risk of encountering the dang3rous animals.
In response to the escalating situation, Zimbabwe National Parks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo stated that the organization is working closely with the community to identify the crocodiles responsible for the @ttacks and remove them from the area.
SOURCE : THE HERALD
