Cape Town - MORE than R330 000 has been spent to find more than 80 crocodiles that escaped from a breeding farm in Bonnievale. But authorities say the search is far from over as more of the reptiles have been recently spotted.
Nearly three months ago authorities from CapeNature assisted by a police diving team who were searching for an unknown number of escaped juvenile Nile crocodiles from the Jan Hoppie farm just outside Breede Valley.
The crocodiles, measuring between 1.2 to 1.5 metres, were being bred at the legal facility when they escaped through a hole in the fence. Within hours authorities had recaptured some of the crocodiles while some were killed as the search continued over the weeks.
Responding to oral questions during a sitting of the Western Cape Legislature last Thursday MEC for Local Government, Anton Bredell, said the estimated costs incurred during the operation to recover as many crocodiles as possible stood at R336 894.
Bredell said CapeNature spent R210 497 and SAPS came in at R126 397.
CapeNature’s spokesperson Petro van Rhyn said 83 crocodiles were found, of these 51 had been shot and 32 captured alive.
“CapeNature is of the opinion that there are at least two more crocodiles at large; they have been spotted, but not yet retrieved. CapeNature will continue with at least one nightly river patrol per week with the aid of landowners and ad hoc daily riparian patrols,” she said.
Van Rhyn said an investigation launched into the matter, which would also probe whether the owner had breached their permit, was still ongoing.
“It will be completed once all the available evidence has been investigated and considered,” she added.
Attempts to reach the farm's owner were unsuccessful.