Dam wall kills Kruger crocs
2008-09-09 21:23
Michael Hamlyn
Cape Town - An explanation for the mysterious deaths of large numbers of crocodiles in the Kruger Park has been offered by
the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, in a written answer to a parliamentary question.
The minister said the deaths were due to pansteatitis. Clinical symptoms include a general hardening of the body fat and the fat changing colour from white to orange. Low levels of Vitamin E results in decreased antioxidant capacity with subsequent free radical peroxidation of lipids. This causes
inflamed body fat and the inflammation results in the fat turning orange in colour and hardening and it is very painful.
"The hardened fat causes the crocodiles to become stiff and results in reduction in mobility and the ability to swim," the minister said. "This leads to starvation and even drowning of the affected animals. Affected crocodiles also become reluctant to enter the water and do not move away as normal when approached on foot."
Van Schalkwyk said that the disease originates in eating rotten or rancid fish, and may have been the result of the raising of the Massingir dam wall downstream in Mozambique. The dam started pushing back into the Kruger Park when it filled up in January and February 2008. This resulted in the deposit of tonnes of silt in the Olifants gorge.
It is also thought that the disease in the Olifants Gorge could have started after a fish incident (fishermen dumping fish or intra-abdominal organs over a period of weeks - close to the border, or crocs getting access to rotten fish) that triggered the reaction in a number of crocodiles.
The disease spreads and sustains itself because of cannibalism among the crocs.
Until last month, 150 dead crocodiles have been counted, and the outbreak is being tackled by pulling croc-corpses out of the rivers and burning them.
"SANParks (SA National Parks) have embarked on such an exercise using a helicopter and have so far pulled 15 dead crocs out and burnt the carcasses," the minister said. "This exercise will continue for the foreseeable future."
- I-Net Bridge
- I-Net Bridge (Business)