Maneaters of Malawi | National Geographic

the country of Malawi lies in southern
Africa along the lake that bears its
name flowing south the waters of the
shire river used for fishing farming and
often for drinking the river is the
source of life for many villagers but
also for crocodiles once hunted almost
to extinction the Nile crocodile is now
a protected species
the crocodiles however don’t extend the
same courtesy croc attacks are
commonplace along the riverbanks some
escaped with only a scar others lose a
limb many died is a problem caused not
only by the Crocs but by villagers as
well local farming and fishing remove
the crocodiles usual prey leaving them
unafraid and hungry
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Solutions are not easy
the villagers tried to exercise extreme
caution when working by the river
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some seek help from traditional medicine
man
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conservationists have used a more modern
approach television we have what we call
drop dial safety campaigns and we tell
people how their crops behave in water
and how they should behave to protect
themselves one long-term solution is to
build wells a safe water supply would
let villagers conduct their daily
activities away from the river and away
from the crocodiles but Malawi is one of
the world’s poorest countries it faces
many challenges communities will have to
work with conservationists to come up
with lasting solutions until then people
must depend on the river and travel
through the realm of the crocodiles