Crocodile, the killler of water

[OrinocoCroc]

Nile crocodile predation on cattle in Namibia.
"Nile crocodiles pose a substantial threat to subsistence livelihoods whilst rural

communities have significant negative impacts on crocodiles (i) Estimates suggest an

annual loss of between ~255 and ~6864 cattle per year and damage to an estimated

71500 fishing nets per year in North Eastern Namibia. (ii) All crocodile size classes

showed a negative relationship with people at the inter- and intra-river levels. (iii)

Crocodile prey species showed a significant negative spatial relationship with cattle.

 

In total 489 cases of crocodile attack were recorded from 1993 to 2005 inclusive.

Table 3.2 summarizes records of crocodile attacks by survey site. Study sites on the

Chobe River (Impalila and Kasika) recorded the highest numbers of attacks as well as

the highest density of attacks per kilometre of river frontage. Figure 3.1a summarizes

species composition. Other species recorded included dogs, goats, a horse and a pig.

Twenty three cases of human attacks were recorded. Figure 3.1b summarizes some age

and sex criteria of cattle records. Adult female cattle made up nearly three quarters of

cattle depredations.

 

Figure 3.4 summarises a) cattle ownership per household, b) number of cattle

attacked per owner and c) rate of attacks on cattle per river. 71% of households

currently keep cattle (n=96). Almost half of the households that do own cattle have

between one and ten animals (n=44, 46%). Respondents reported a total of 176 cattle

and 39 goats killed by crocodiles in the last year, and 435 cattle killed over the last five

years. On average each household lost 0.6 head of cattle per year (SD+-1.57). The

Chobe study site recorded much higher levels of cattle depredations (1.97 cattle per

household per year) relative to the Kwando, Kavango and Zambezi study sites (0.32,

0.21 and 0.36

respectively).

 

Approximately 89 cattle are killed per year within the six study sites (SD+-26.5).

Extrapolation estimates approximately 255 cattle attacked per year in North Eastern

Namibia, or 0.29 cattle per kilometre of river frontage in NE Namibia.

 

Approximately 0.6 cattle are killed per household per year within the five study

sites (SD+-1.57). Extrapolation estimates a figure of 6864 cattle attacked by crocodiles

per year in North Eastern Namibia, with about half of these occurring on the Chobe

river. For direct comparison with the HCC survey estimates, this translates to

approximately 7.8 cattle per km of river frontage per year".

https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/bitstream/...Thesis.pdf

The ecology, conservation and management of Nile crocodiles Crocodylus niloticus in a human dominated landscape
Patrick Welby Aust
Imperial College London
Division of Biology
May 2009

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

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