t was great news for the communities of Lugaga village, Bugiri district when on March 6th 2005 Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) captured and relocated a 60-year old crocodile from Lake Victoria that had terrorized them for nearly 20 years.

The five-meter crocodile is said to have eaten about 83 people by the time of its capture, and weighed up to 1,000kg.

Three rangers from Uganda Wildlife Authority captured the reptile on 6th March 2005 after camping in Lugaga swamp for two nights. The rangers moved in an engineless canoe so as not to alert the crocodile. They enlisted the support of 50 local fishermen to load the crocodile on to a pickup truck. The crocodile was one of the biggest in the area, and had a secret place called ‘the butcher’ where it devoured its victims.

Uganda Wildlife Authority is responsible for managing the country’s Protected Areas in partnership with neighboring communities and other stakeholders.

The Public Relations Manager, Lillian Nsubuga said that UWA is keen on protecting wild animals because they have a right to live and should not be killed with impunity.

A report produced by an American herpetologist, Dr. Brady Barr in 2004 raised concerns about the low population figures of crocodiles in Bugiri district, and called for programs to educate local people to behave responsibly in crocodile areas.

The crocodile was transferred to a crocodile farm in Buwama village, Mpigi district and is expected to become a tourist attraction.