Authorities in Zambia said that a crocodile killed a 52-year-old fisherman who was initially evading a herd of elephants.
Per BBC, the February 4 incident occurred in eastern Zambia. The deceased fisherman, identified as Dean Nyirenda, and his two friends initially encountered the herd of elephants when they were returning from a fishing trip.
The three individuals took to their heels, and Nyirenda entered a stream that was close to the Luangwa River.
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“That is when he was attacked by a crocodile by biting his right thigh,” local police chief Robertson Mweemba told journalists.
Police said that Nyirenda had a stick in his possession when he dived into the stream, and he successfully used it to hit the crocodile to escape the attack from the animal.
“He dragged himself from the stream,” Mweemba said.
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Nyirenda’s two friends watched the incident from afar, and they ultimately made their way to the riverbank to help and carry him, per ZNBC. Nyirenda was severely bleeding at the time.
“They tried to stop the bleeding but unfortunately he died,” the police chief stated.
The crocodile is said to have severely bitten Nyirenda’s right thigh, and the fisherman bled to death as a result. Wildlife officers also responsed to the scene following the attack, per BBC.
The elephant population in Zambia is large, and conflicts involving humans and wildlife in the southern African country have resulted in deaths over the last few years.
Conservationists also say that one of the largest Nile crocodile populations in Africa is found around the Luangwa River. The river travels through the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia.
Resource Africa, a community-led conservation NGO, stated that in 2023, 15 of the 26 wildlife-related deaths stemmed from crocodile attacks, per BBC. Majority of those crocodile attacks happened around the Luangwa River.
In an effort to mitigate conflicts between humans and animals, wildlife officials said that they are looking into erecting protective fences around wildlife locations, among other things.
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