A scary crocodile is causing trouble near Lake Kariba. People in Gatche Gatche say it’s a special crocodile that only eats private parts.
They call it “Macheni.” Some folks think it’s not just a regular crocodile but maybe a magical creature controlled by someone powerful.
The crocodile has attacked more than 21 people, mostly fishermen. Each time, it only took their private parts and left the rest of their bodies alone. People believe it’s hard to catch because it’s like a ghost.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority tried to deal with the problem. They found out that between 2016 and 2023, 32 people were killed by crocodiles around Lake Kariba.
They also got rid of 38 crocodiles during that time. But the attacks continued.
People in Gatche Gatche think the crocodile is still out there. They say most of the attacks happen at night when illegal fishing is going on. So, it’s hard to catch the crocodile and stop it.
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Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority asked the community to help find the crocodile. They’re working together to make the area safe.
Since they stepped up patrols in December, there haven’t been any more attacks. But they’re still on the lookout for “Macheni.”
Tinashe Farawo, the spokesperson for Zimparks, responded to inquiries from a publication by stating that residents of the affected area perceive the culprit behind these incidents as a “spiritual crocodile.”
He disclosed that:
- Between 2016 and 2023, a total of 32 fatalities occurred due to crocodile attacks in the stretch of Lake Kariba between Sanyati River and the Lake Kariba Dam Wall.
- During the same period, 38 crocodiles were eliminated, and over 40 crocodiles were captured and relocated.
Farawo remarked, “Since 2019, both legal and illegal gill netting fishers in the Gatche Gatche area have attributed crocodile attacks in the Tsetse Island vicinity to a single crocodile.”
“While the theory of a single culprit remains speculative, Zimparks has undertaken assessments of the area and removal of suspect crocodiles in the vicinity,” he added.
“The community has christened this alleged crocodile as ‘Macheni.’ The assumption that the attacks stem from one crocodile arises from the concentration of incidents in a specific area,” Farawo explained.
He continued, “Fishers hold the belief that ‘Macheni’ is a spiritual entity, attributing its name to the claim that it targeted men’s testicles during attacks.”
