January 2009 : Grumeti Reserves, Tanzania

January heralds the onset of the long rains. The first half the month was dry but later in the month we experienced afternoon thunderstorms somewhere on the reserve nearly every day.

Some staff had the opportunity to enjoy the balloon experience first hand and thus give an informed opinion to our guests. With the balloons based here it will be a far more accessible activity and well worth it.

Singita Grumeti Reserves were given permits for the capture of six Nile crocodiles from the Mara River on village land fifty kilometers north of the reserve. These animals are habitual livestock thieves and regularly prey on goats, cattle and sheep coming down to the river to drink. The alternative to live capture and relocation would be the destruction of these animals by the wildlife authorities of the region.

The crocodiles are caught using a cylindrical trap in which bait (goat meat) is placed attached to a cable triggering a trap door to fall in place behind the crocodile once the animal pulls on the bait.

Setting the trap, the water is also chummed with a mixture of rumen and blood obtained from butcheries in the villages.

Once the crocodile is in the trap the animal has to be blindfolded and noosed around the snout before it can be removed from the cage. This is of course the trickiest part of the operation.

Once out of the cage, blindfolded and noosed, the snout is secured with tape and made ready for transport.

Some effort is required in loading the crocodile onto the back of the pickup; this animal was about seven and a half feet long with a foot and a half of its tail missing. The missing tail would have more than likely been the result of bite from a larger crocodile at some earlier stage in its life.

After a hour & a half journey the crocodile was released at Sasakwa Lake. The crocodile is sexed, measured and marked for identification purposes before release.

On its way to release; once the crocodile hears the splashing water underfoot it comes very much to life again.
The weight and strength of this incredible reptile takes six very strong men to get it to the waters edge.

With the tape removed and all fingers out the way, the blindfold is removed and the croc prepares to enter its new habitat.

This entry was submitted by Ryan Schmitt & Nick Bester
All photographs were taken on location at Singita Grumeti Reserves
31 January 2009