Crocodile threats in Bakau, Jeshwang

Public safety has been threatened by the frequent appearances of crocodiles near the Calypso Bar & Restaurant in Cape Point and at the women’s gardens in Jeshwang.

Some residents of Cape Point have raised concerns following the Monday appearance of a young crocodile in a narrow stream near the Caypso Bar and Restaurant, where children often gather for swimming and fishing.

Concerned residents expressed bewilderment over the shockng discovery, as according to them, the presence of a crocodile in the creek is beyond their imagination.

Sheriff Sanyang, a resident of the area, appealed to the authorities to intervene, noting that the stream is no longer safe for young children to play around.

He observed the need for the authorities to either evacuate the crocodile from the creek or devise safety measures for beach goers.

“This is a stream that we never thought could harbour a crocodile,” Mr Sanyang noted while urging children to avoid the site.

Abdul Aziz Titao Mendy expressed an appeal for the authorities to urgently remove the crocodiles from the vicinity they  threaten public safety.

Lamin Sonko, a guide, said the crocodile appeared around 3:00 pm on Monday shortly after some children got out of the creek.

On where the crocodiles might have come from, Mr Sonko disclosed that they suspected a thick bush near the creek.

“I even saw a bigger crocodile at the said bush,” Sonko indicated, adding that he suspected that there are more crocodiles in the bush.  

Sonko raised concern about the damage the presence of crocodiles could cause to tourism as tourists might be scared away.

Musa Badjie, the chief cook at Calypso Restaurant, said the sighting of the crocodile was not strange to him as it was not the first time such a thing happened.

“They are sometimes sighted around the back of the Ocean Bay Hotel,” he added, while appealing to relevant authorities to intervene.

Jeshwang
Women gardeners have also expressed concerns over the appearances of unrestraint crocodiles in their gardens.  

The women gardeners who spoke to the Daily Observer said the appearances of the crocodiles in their gardens have seriously hampered their work.

According to Mai Kambie Ceesay, a gardener, the crocodiles are believed to have come from the Bakau Kachically Crocodile Pool. She added that heavy rains carry them from the pool to their gardens. The crocodiles, she went on, normally come out around 12pm in the afternoon.

"Years ago, there was a crocodile pool near our gardens but they all disappeared.  This crocodiles hide in that same place and when the sun comes out, they go into our garden," she explained.

Another gardener, Fatou Sarr, said that they recently found a near bucketful of crocodile eggs.  She added the crocodiles have not yet harmed anyone but they feel insecure. She thus appealed for urgent help to remove the crocodiles from their gardens.