Durban croc evades dragnet

Efforts to capture a three metre-long crocodile living on the banks of the Umgeni River are continuing while the reptile remains elusive.

The crocodile was spotted last month near Durban's Windsor municipal golf course .

More sightings prompted authorities to resurrect their plan to remove the reptile from the area.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has been trying to capture the animal for more than a year.

"Somehow it gave us the slip. At the weekend, a resident called to say that she saw the crocodile. Our guys rushed out there but it was gone," Ezemvelo spokesman Musa Mntambo said yesterday.

He said a team of wildlife experts had set traps with food, but the crocodile was feeding from the river's supply of fish.

"We will continue to set traps but we have issued a permit to eThekwini Municipality to capture or destroy the animal. If the crocodile becomes aggressive during capture it may have to be shot," he said.

Mntambo said the permit also allowed the municipality to hire a professional crocodile hunter.

eThekwini municipal spokesman Thabo Mofokeng yesterday could not confirm whether a hunter had been hired.

"Killing the crocodile is the last resort. We are exploring all avenues to capture it and take it to a crocodile farm," he said.

Animal rights group Beauty Without Cruelty SA said the crocodile should be allowed to live on the river bank.

"The crocodile has apparently been loose for more than a year and there have been no incidents. It appears the crocodile has been comfortable there and made that area its home, but now, because it has been spotted, it has to be captured. I can't understand why," said spokeswoman Toni Brockhoven.

She said authorities should put up warning signs instead of capturing the crocodile.

"It hasn't harmed anyone," she said. "We have to learn to live with nature."