A dead crocodile was discovered around 5 PM on Thursday, September 11th, in the waters of Lake Niassa, near the municipal village of Metangula, located in Lago District, Niassa Province.
Francisco Ofessi, a fisherman living in Thungo neighborhood in Metangula, was the one who found the animal. He was heading out to bait his fishing trap with bran when he made the discovery. According to him, he first saw a live crocodile leaving the area and moving deeper into the lake. Upon closer inspection, he noticed another crocodile lying lifeless in the water.
"I was out in my canoe going to bait my trap, since I hadn’t checked it in a few days. Suddenly, I saw a crocodile moving away into the deeper part of the lake, and when I looked behind it, I saw another one dead," Francisco explained.
After spotting the dead crocodile, Francisco immediately halted his activities and reported the situation to the local neighborhood leader. Since it was already late, they agreed to wait until the following morning. Around 6 AM on Friday, they returned and managed to pull the animal from the water. According to witnesses, the crocodile showed signs of having been dead for several days.
The e fisherman stated that, as no one else was brave enough to retrieve the animal, he did it himself. He expressed relief, noting that the crocodile’s belly was extremely swollen and close to bursting, which could have released toxic substances into the water, endangering people who rely on the lake for daily use.
“I removed the crocodile myself, and I’m glad I did. Its belly was badly swollen and could have exploded at any moment, which would have been dangerous for everyone using that water,” he said.
As of the time Mozanorte reporters left the scene, the crocodile had not yet been buried or incinerated, reportedly due to authorities waiting for the arrival of officials from the agriculture department. (Davide Muianga)
0 Comments