Efforts are underway to recapture crocodiles that were washed into the Tongaat River and out to sea by floods, from a crock farm near Ballito. One of the crocodiles were washed ashore on Westbrook Beach between Ballito and La Mercy.

Five of the crocodile ponds at Crocodile Creek have been damaged, with only one remaining intact. Owner Peter Watson says considerable damage was caused to the croc farm but would not elaborate on the number of crocodiles that had been washed out.

“On Sunday evening there was a major collapse of a bridge in the area, which also took out the secondary, outer perimeter fence at Crocodile Creek.

“Unfortunately, the pressure on the boundary fence enclosing the crocodiles forced open two gaps when raw bolts were torn from the concrete enabling some adult crocodiles to escape into the Tongaat River,” Watson says.

According to Crocodile Creek’s website, it is home to more than 6 000 Nile crocodiles, alligators and snakes.

Watson says the river mouth had been home to about 2 or 3 crocodiles, which residents only became aware of over the last 12 months.

“There are more in the upper parts of the river,” he said.

On Wednesday morning, a crocodile had washed ashore at Westbrook Beach and another had been filmed at the Tongaat River Mouth.