Panic as fishermen spot crocodile at Entebbe beach

There is panic amongst beach goers and revelers following witness accounts of a crocodile reportedly sighted in the waters near Botanical beach in Entebbe.

On Thursday, a witness identified as Kazibwe claimed to have spotted a crocodile while at  Botanical Beach in Entebbe, sparking off unrest.

Nile Post contacted the witness and he claimed to have spotted the crocodile but it ducked back in the water and disappeared from trace.

“I saw the crocodile yesterday while at the beach and have been vocal about it since. Officials from Uganda Wildlife Authority were given my number and when they contacted me I informed them of the same and told them where I had sighted this predator,” Kazibwe told Nile Post on phone.

“The UWA officials said they would come around and trace it, but I have not sighted them since,” he added.

This comes after several reports from residents over sighting the crocodile in waters around Anderita beach, Pier, Entebbe Botanical Gardens and around Bugonga lake shores.

According to a one Emmanuel Kasaga who is also a resident in Entebbe, they have received reports from fishermen who sighted a crocodile in the waters yesterday.

“Yesterday at around 8:00 pm three men who were fishing at the Botanical gardens narrowly survived a killer crocodile that attacked them while they went about their fishing business,” Kasaga claims.

Kasaga claims this is not the first time such a report is coming up, as in the past weeks, many people have expressed to have sighted a crocodile but no authorities have come to help.

“I am also using this platform to inform the Authorities to ensure that this crocodile is captured before our residents are killed by the crocodiles,” he added.

However, when contacted for a comment on the matter, the spokesperson for Uganda Wildlife Education Centre(UWEC), Eric Ntalo said they have not yet been made aware of the same.

“We got the information yesterday and our teams rushed in but they didn’t see any crocodile but in case it is sighted, as our mandate of rescue, rehabilitate and release in our Act, we are ready to go in and save the situation,”Ntalo told the Nile Post.

The UWEC publicist, however, allayed fears that revelers might have, noting that they have a fully-fledged team of animal department to handle the situation in case need arises.

“In case anybody sees any animal that can be of threat to human life, they should contact UWEC because we have a trained team that will do the rescue mission and it is free of charge. This can be done in all parts of the country.”