MALAWI will issue licenses to 20 hunters to kill 200 menacing but endangered Nile crocodiles in the southern African nation’s lakes and rivers, environmental authorities said on Monday. Each license will cost 1.50 US dollars, and will allow an individual hunter to kill 10 of the endangered reptiles in specially selected hunting grounds, said Roy Bhima, assistant director of research in the ministry of tourism, parks and wildlife. “Each hunter must posses a registered rifle of calibre .375 and will be allowed to kill 10 crocodiles each at 10 selected spots we have designated,” Bhima said. The hunters will be able to sell the skins and meat, although Malawians find eating crocodiles akin to cannibalism since the giant reptiles occasionally eat humans. By international agreement, Malawi is allowed to kill 200 of the Nile crocodiles and trade the skins internationally. The decision to issue the licenses came after the government received reports of crocodiles killing people, Bhima said, although he could not say how many people had been attacked by crocodiles in the last year. – AFP
Monday June 18, 2001