ZIMBABWE: Crocodile Invades Hospital Blocks Entrance

Wildlife authorities in Zimbabwe shot dead a large crocodile that strayed into the northern town of Hwange and blocked entry to a hospital.

The crocodile took up position outside the main gate to St Patrick’s hospital and charged at anyone trying to enter or leave, creating panic among residents, local media reported.

Crocodile attacks are on the rise in recent weeks due to heavy rain, Parks and wildlife authority confirmed the incident

In Hwange there was a crocodile seen in the residential area and it had to be killed because it had become a threat to human life.

Because of the rains there have been several reports of people attacked by crocodiles.

The crocodile was outside the hospital in Hwange for about two hours on Tuesday evening, attracting a large crowd of onlookers, before it was shot.

It was unclear how the animal came to be outside the hospital as the nearest water was about 10 kilometres (6 miles) away.

In less than five minutes, I had received more than 10 phone calls from residents who were in serious panic mode, a local official said.

At first I thought it was a prank because crocodiles are found around water bodies and not in the middle of a suburb.

In the capital Harare, a woman was fatally attacked by a crocodile on Thursday as she crossed a stream, while a boy escaped with injuries in another attack in the south-eastern district of Chiredzi.


Tourism Observer