Crocodile kills man

The LC3 chairman of Sigulu Sub-County Mr Gilbert Wanyama said that people have always been warned against bathing in the lake at night because it makes them more vulnerable to crocodiles. However the warnings have gone unheeded.

Bugiri

A man at Singira village on the Sigulu Islands in Bugiri district has been killed by a crocodile. The man whose identity is yet to be known was attacked by the crocodile on Sunday night.

Residents of Singira say they heard someone raise an alarm at about 11:30 pm on Sunday night and calling for help.

However, when his neighbours rushed to his rescue, all that was found was a severed head and part of the man’s foot. His shirt, trouser and mobile phone lay along the lake shore. It is believed he was bathing in the lake when he was attacked.

The LC3 chairman of Sigulu Sub-County Mr Gilbert Wanyama said that people have always been warned against bathing in the lake at night because it makes them more vulnerable to crocodiles. However the warnings have gone unheeded.

The Bugiri Resident District Commissioner, Margaret Mwanamoiza, says about 15 people in the district have been killed by crocodiles this year alone. She calls on the Uganda Wildlife Authority to assist in culling the crocodiles living near human settlements.

Nile crocodiles, the most common crocodile species in Uganda, are the largest crocodiles in Africa. They grow up to six meters and weighing 730 kilograms.

The diet of the Nile crocodiles are mainly fish, but they attack almost anything unfortunate enough to cross its path, including zebras, small hippos, porcupines, birds, humans and other crocodiles.

The most notorious crocodile attack occurred in 2005. A five meter-long crocodile was blamed for the death of 83 people in Bugiri. The beast was trapped by villagers and relocated to Buwama crocodile farm in Mpigi.

In March this year, district officials in Mpigi gave residents permission to kill crocodiles that were responsible for the death of 20 people.