Three killed in croc, hippo attacks
Three people, including a four-month-old baby, were killed in wildlife attacks in north-eastern Namibia recently.
The environment ministry yesterday confirmed that a 28-year-old woman and her baby were killed by a crocodile on the Okavango River in the Shighuru area in the Kavango East Region.
Mungomba Maria Magdalena was washing clothes in the river when she was attacked by the crocodile on 26 March.
Her four-month-old baby, Kaneymba Paneyambeko, whom she was carrying on her back, also died in the process. In another incident in the Zambezi Region a 45-year-old man, Mahoto Mwilima, was killed by a hippo while fishing in the Linyanti River in the Maunga area. The incident happened on 25 March.
The director of wildlife and national parks, Colgar Sikopo, said these unfortunate incidents were worrisome, especially the attacks by crocodiles on people swimming and washing clothes in the rivers and floodplains.
With the good rains in certain parts of the country the river levels are rising and floods are already experienced in some areas.
Crocodiles, hippos, snakes and other wetland wild animals are also following the floodwater. Sikopo warned people living in these areas not to take risks that might endanger their lives.
“We advise that people should collect water from the river and immediately move to the banks where they can conduct their usual activities such as bathing and washing clothes, or to do so at their villages and not directly in the river.”
Sikopo said those fishing in the river should be very careful.
Ministry staff in the regions have been instructed to warn local communities of these dangers. Sikopo added that crocodiles and hippos were being offered for hunting under the conservancy programme so that rural communities could benefit from these animals.
In addition the ministry was investigating the possibility of granting local communities concessions to operate crocodile farms so that they could generate income from the sale of skins and meat.
ELLANIE SMIT
The environment ministry yesterday confirmed that a 28-year-old woman and her baby were killed by a crocodile on the Okavango River in the Shighuru area in the Kavango East Region.
Mungomba Maria Magdalena was washing clothes in the river when she was attacked by the crocodile on 26 March.
Her four-month-old baby, Kaneymba Paneyambeko, whom she was carrying on her back, also died in the process. In another incident in the Zambezi Region a 45-year-old man, Mahoto Mwilima, was killed by a hippo while fishing in the Linyanti River in the Maunga area. The incident happened on 25 March.
The director of wildlife and national parks, Colgar Sikopo, said these unfortunate incidents were worrisome, especially the attacks by crocodiles on people swimming and washing clothes in the rivers and floodplains.
With the good rains in certain parts of the country the river levels are rising and floods are already experienced in some areas.
Crocodiles, hippos, snakes and other wetland wild animals are also following the floodwater. Sikopo warned people living in these areas not to take risks that might endanger their lives.
“We advise that people should collect water from the river and immediately move to the banks where they can conduct their usual activities such as bathing and washing clothes, or to do so at their villages and not directly in the river.”
Sikopo said those fishing in the river should be very careful.
Ministry staff in the regions have been instructed to warn local communities of these dangers. Sikopo added that crocodiles and hippos were being offered for hunting under the conservancy programme so that rural communities could benefit from these animals.
In addition the ministry was investigating the possibility of granting local communities concessions to operate crocodile farms so that they could generate income from the sale of skins and meat.
ELLANIE SMIT
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Namibian Sun
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