CROC VICTIMS LEFT TO SUFFER

Most research on wild animal attacks focuses only on the attack event.  My research on crocodile attacks in Swaziland and South Africa followed this pattern.

I collected details of attacks to draw out patterns, and help us understand and avoid attacks in future. But reading the newspaper stories rather than statistics makes you aware of the personal tragedies of attacks.  I began to wonder what happens to victims after they leave hospital. What are the long term consequences for their lives?

In March 2018, I travelled to the beautiful Mbuluzi Game Reserve in northeast Swaziland to discover more. I had produced educational posters based on my research entitled ‘Don’t get eaten by a croc’.
These were being used by Kim Roques’ All Out Africa foundation which has a Savanna Research Centre in the game reserve.

The reserve takes its name from the Mbuluzi River, which has been the site of several crocodile attacks. The reserve, run by Tal Fineberg, is well aware of the reputation of the local crocodiles, and a signboard at the entrance gate warns visitors about this danger.
The Maphiveni community occupies the northern bank of the Mbuluzi  River, east of the MR3 road at Ngomane. Mbuluzi Game Reserve occupies the opposite bank.

community poor

The river is broad and chocolate brown at this time of year, fringed with tall reeds and patches of riverine forest. The community is poor and the people go to the river to fetch water, to fish and wash clothes. 

In September 2009, a 19-year-old girl narrowly escaped an attack while drawing water. At the time, residents requested water tanks or pumps to reduce the risk of crocodile attacks.

On January 3, 2018, a diminutive 18-year-old, Sihle Sibonelo Hlatjwako, was not so lucky. She was washing clothes in the river when a crocodile seized her by the left wrist and dragged her into the water.

Fortunately, the river was quite low, and she managed to struggle to her feet. Five times the crocodile tried to drag her under, and each time she managed to surface, finally grabbing hold of some reeds and screaming for help.

Two brave young men charged into the river, got hold of her and dragged her out. The crocodile did not let go, however, and they had to beat it with sticks before it retreated into the river.

Sihle’s arm was fractured, with bones protruding in two places. Rushed to the Good Shepherd Hospital by the police, she had to have her arm cut open to repair the damage to her bones and blood vessels.
She subsequently had a skin graft, which when I saw her looked far from being healed. Months after the attack, she has not regained full functionality of her left hand. Usually, once the newspapers have reported the story, and perhaps a researcher has taken the details, the victim is forgotten.
But I have funding from Birkbeck University of London, and the Wellcome Trust, to discover what happens to victims after attacks.
Sihle’s family is very poor and her father has died. They cannot afford to both send her to school (she is in grade 4), and pay medical expenses. They have taken her out of school in 2018, to concentrate on helping her recover from the bite as far as possible. I am concerned that this brave, quiet, but well spoken girl will never return to school.

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