Project Update: November 2008

The last three months have seen the OCMP grow into a useful and reputable programme for the region. The team completed a full spotlight survey of the Okavango River in 6 nights, covering a total area of 265km at night. The results from the survey were encouraging and showed that the population numbers are still stable along this stretch of river.

The OCMP were also asked by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) to devise a release programme for the farmed reared animals at the Krokovango crocodile farm. The farm have collected eggs from the wild for the past three seasons and have now begun the process of releasing 5% of their collected stock. 88 crocodiles of approximately 1.3 meters in length were released at specifically designated sites. Each crocodile was marked, measured and genetic samples were kept for future reference.

The monitoring team plan to carry out recapture sessions and attempt to assess movement and body condition change in these released animals. This release is the first of its kind in Botswana and a major step in the right direction for crocodile ranching in Southern Africa.