A 52-year-old fisherman in eastern Zambia died after being attacked by a crocodile while trying to escape a herd of elephants, local police reported.
Dean Nyirenda was returning from a fishing trip with two friends on Wednesday when they encountered the elephants unexpectedly. In an attempt to flee, Nyirenda jumped into a stream near the Luangwa River, where a crocodile bit his right thigh.
According to police chief Robertson Mweemba, Nyirenda managed to fight off the reptile with a stick and dragged himself out of the water. His friends carried him from the riverbank, but he died from severe blood loss despite their efforts to stop the bleeding.
Wildlife officers confirmed the fatal wounds were consistent with a crocodile attack. The Luangwa River region is known for having one of Africa’s highest concentrations of Nile crocodiles, and such attacks are not uncommon. Official figures show crocodiles caused 15 of the 26 recorded wildlife-related human deaths in Zambia in 2023.
Zambian authorities have repeatedly warned locals and tourists to exercise caution in wildlife areas. This incident follows a 2021 attack in which British student Amelie Osborn-Smith was seriously injured by a crocodile while rafting on the Zambezi River.
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