Officials from the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), in collaboration with the residents of Kahunda Village in Katwe Ward, Buchosa District Council, Sengerema, Mwanza Region, successfully captured a crocodile that had caused panic for nearly a week.
The crocodile, which had terrorized the village, was neutralized before it could harm any human lives.
The incident took place on October 3, 2024, after Kahunda villagers reported the crocodile's presence to TAWA officers from the Mwanza Substation in the Lake Zone.
Acting swiftly, the officers arrived on-site and managed to control the situation by legally killing the dangerous animal.
Kahunda residents revealed that the crocodile had been preying on their livestock, including ducks, chickens, and dogs, at the village’s lakeside.
Its presence had disrupted normal life and left villagers fearful of using Lake Victoria for their daily activities.
Athumani Wambura, the Chairman of Kahunda Village, praised the government and TAWA officers for their swift action and ongoing efforts to protect the community from dangerous wildlife, particularly crocodiles and hippos, which are a common threat in Sengerema District.
"I would like to commend the wildlife officers (TAWA) for what they’ve done for our community. Their actions have brought us peace of mind. In recent years, these animals have killed more than three people in Kahunda," said Wambura.
TAWA’s Public Relations Officer, Beatus Maganja, also lauded the villagers for their cooperation during the operation.
He urged them to continue exercising caution while carrying out their activities around the lake and to heed the advice of wildlife experts.
Maganja reassured the residents that the government had allocated funds to construct two more crocodile traps in Buchosa District to help mitigate the growing threat from wildlife in the region.