The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has sent out officials to search for the body of a nine-year-old Namibian child who was snatched by a crocodile on the Angolan side of the Okavango River on Friday morning.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, confirmed that the incident happened near N’Kwazi Lodge about 20 kilometres east of Rundu.
Muyunda said according to a preliminary report, the Namibian boy was visiting his grandmother in Angola and had gone to the river with three other children to fetch water at around 08h00 when the crocodile attack took place.
Muyunda warned residents living in human-wildlife conflict zones to be vigilant against potential attacks by wild animals.
This week, two other people in the Kavango East region also lost their lives due to crocodile attacks.
The first incident took place on 1 January and claimed the life of a female resident of the village of Shikoro.
The victim, identified as Mudi Muhembo (32), was attacked while fetching water from the Okavango River.
According to Muyunda, her body was recovered on the same day.
On 4 January, at the village of Mutjiku, the 17-year-old Bunewero Kuwananayo also fell victim to a crocodile attack while fetching water from the same river.
“All these incidents are regrettable for the ministry,” Muyunda said.
“We continue to engage in human-wildlife conflict mitigation and prevention measures, including water installations for affected communities. We do not wish to lose precious Namibian lives as a result of wildlife,” he said.
Mutjiku is one of the villages that received an equipped borehole funded through the Game Products Trust Fund for human-wildlife conflict mitigation, particularly involving crocodiles.
Meanwhile, a 50-year-old man is receiving treatment at Rundu District Hospital after being injured in a hippopotamus attack at Marema, a village in the Kavango West region, on 13 December.
Ministerial investigations into these incidents are under way.
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