
The hunt is on for several young crocodiles that escaped from a breeding farm in the Western Cape province of South Africa, authorities said on Thursday after capturing 26 on overnight patrols.
An unknown number of Nile crocodiles, widespread in Africa, escaped from a Bonnievale commercial breeding farm into the Bree River on Wednesday, sparking a hunt involving police, landowners and conservation officials.
The escaped crocodiles, with a reputation as man-eaters, are 1.2 and 1.5 metres in length, authorities said.
“We’ve captured 26 at this point but I can’t say how many are still on the loose,” said Petro van Rhyn, a spokeswoman for CapeNature conversation agency on Thursday.