Coast KZN

State of the Coast: KZN
State of the Coast: KZN

State of the Coast: KwaZulu-Natal Chapter 1: Introduction & Background Chapter 2: Overarching Drivers Chapter 3: Climate Variability
Chapter 4: Coastal Environment Chapter 5: Estuarine Environment Chapter 6: Marine Environment Chapter 7: Human Environment Chapter 8: Economic Environment
Chapter 9: Governance Environment Chapter 10: Conclusions
The Profile of the KZN Coast
The Profile of the KZN Coast

Ugu Lwethu- Our Coast Defining the Coastal Zone The Physical and Coastal Environment Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
Coastal and Marine Species Migrations The Human Dimension Socio-Economic Uses of the Coast Commercial Resource Uses
Pressures and Threats Management of the Coastal and Marine Environments Understanding our Coast
Coastal access
Coastal access

Access RoutesBoat Launch SitesThe Human DimensionCoastal Access: Stats & Facts
Estuaries
Estuaries

What is an Estuary? Know your Estuaries Estuary Health and Conservation KZN Estuary Observer Programme
Historical Time Series Estuary Mouth Status Sand Mining
Recreation
Recreation

Fish TaggingAccess RoutesBlue Flag Beaches
Coastal risk and vulnerability
Coastal risk and vulnerability

Coastal Risk LinesExtreme EventsCoastal ErosionKZN Coastal Vulnerability IndexPollution
Coastal issues
Coastal issues

PollutionSand MiningCoastal ErosionNurdlesUPL Chemical Spill
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20 Oct 2016

Three metre croc chases canoeist

Vanisha Moodley (South Coast Herald)

three-metre-croc-chases-canoeist

“I could hardly believe my eyes“

Dip a toe into Scottburgh’s popular Mahlongwa River at your  peril.

You could be in for a nasty surprise as a juvenile Nile crocodile – first spotted some years ago – has… grown up!

The croc has now been affectionately named ‘Tick-Tock’ after the one that swallowed a clock in J M Barrie’s Peter Pan.

Local businessman and canoeist Elliot Hall spotted it recently and estimated that it had now grown to about three meters.
And he’s backed up by Canoe Club chairman Colin Simpkins.

Mr Simpkins, who has been canoeing in the river for about 10 years, almost ‘aquaplaned’ with his K1 last Wednesday when he came close to the monster resting on a sandbank.

Everyone always knew about the existence of smallish crocodiles in the river and really thought nothing of it.

“We saw this one often in the past two years, but thought nothing of it as it was the size of a lizard.

“I could hardly believe my eyes when I came across it last week and it had grown to three metres or even longer. It must weigh about 100kg,” said Mr Simpkins.

To his surprise, the crocodile dived into the river, swam towards his canoe and attempted to board it.
“It has done this several times to myself and other paddlers. The only difference this time was that it had grown to a scary size.”

A crocodile measuring about 2.5 metres was caught by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife last Thursday and relocated to St Lucia Crocodile Centre.

Communications officer Musa Mntambo said they were patrolling for ‘Tick-Tock’ and others.
Nobody seems to know where the crocodiles originated from, but canoeists are calling for warning signs to be put up to safeguard holidaymakers and people living near the banks of the river.