2 June: 10:00
POLOKWANE – The crocodile that was transported through the city’s streets yesterday, has been ‘found’ and has been identified as a mounted crocodile.
Otto Muller, its owner, told Review that it was being transported from one of his farms, to another in Gravelotte.
“We found the male crocodile, which is approximately 3,1m in length, about three years ago. It was caught in a net that poachers use to catch fish,” he explained.
Muller said the animal was mounted and they recently decided to move it to another location.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1 June 16:00
POLOKWANE – Review was alerted of a strange spotting in the city’s streets this afternoon, when a reader sent photos of a crocodile that was being transported on the back of a bakkie.
The reader told Review that the man in the bakkie was speeding and lost sight of the vehicle near Eduan Park.
Review alerted the local SPCA, who immediately started with investigations to track the vehicle and establish whether the animal is still alive.
“We found the man on the R81, pass a local mall on his way to Tzaneen/Modjadjiskloof. The man did not want to stop and our inspectors have no right to pull a vehicle over. Our inspector believes the crocodile is dead,” said Selma Landman, SPCA Polokwane Manager.
Also read: Vissers ontdek enorme krokodil by Arabie Dam
Judging by the photos and dimensions of the load bin size of an average single cab, the crocodile is more than 2,2m in length.
When asked about the regulations to follow when transporting a wild animal, Landman said: “You need to have a TOPS (threatened or protected species) permit to transport a wild animal, whether the animal is dead or alive. This goes in accordance with the Limpopo Environmental Management Act.”
If you have information regarding this, let us know via one of the platforms listed below.
