The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) responded to the Springs Advertiser’s inquiry regarding the crocodile locals sighted near the Blesbokspruit outside Springs on February 16.

Officials from Reptile and Wildlife Rescue Foundation and other agencies concluded, after a thorough search on February 25, that there was no sign of the reptiles in the river.

According to Mankgodi Hlongwane, a specialist in biodiversity and conservation, a team from GDARD led the investigation and made several site visits to verify if the speculation of crocodile sightings were true.

“It was indeed confirmed with the sighting of two crocodiles in the Spruit. A planned mission to capture them was unsuccessful.”

Hlongwane added that it is alleged that they were kept as pets.

“Seeing them up close, without them being afraid of people suggested they had been tamed. It is believed that the owner may have disposed of the reptiles nearby or that they may have fled given the tremendous rains we recently experienced and the recent high water levels,” Hlongwane explained.

She said that the GDARD and the metro’s Environmental Resource and Waste Management are the competent authorities on biodiversity conservation and protection for handling such cases.

The department added that the criterion for keeping wildlife would be to obtain the necessary permits.

“One should have a permit from the competent authority and meet the required standards for holding the animals as stipulated on the permit,” said Hlongwane.

“After the permit application, an inspection will be conducted by an official from GDARD.”

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