Terrifying moment crocodile causes panic as it walks through restaurant, climbs on bench at Zimbabwe hotel
Hotel staff got the shock of their lives when a crocodile walked through the premises in an attempt to access the establishment’s kitchen.
Staff at a hotel in Zimbabwe got the shock of their lives when a crocodile walked through the premises in an attempt to access the establishment’s kitchen.
The crocodile busted into A’Zambezi River Lodge in Victoria Falls as people looked for places to hide from the 12ft reptile.
Video footage shared online shows the scaly beast sauntering through the hotel lobby before it made a beeline for a nearly counter.
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Rangers and wildlife experts from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority attended the lodge in a bid to catch the predator and remove it from the scene.
After failed attempts to guide the croc to River Zambezi, the team were able to capture it with a rope as it lay in a water feature outside of the hotel.
According to news.com.au, John Richards from Portsmouth said staff and security ensured everyone at the scene was out of harms way.
“All these rangers and wildlife guy turned up with ropes and canvases and managed to grab it and tie it up and then carried it away,” he said.
ZimParks spokesman Luckmore Safuli said the crocodile was captured and released back into the Zambezi River, where it is believed to have come from.
“The animal, identified as a Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) originating from the Zambezi River system, was safely immobilised and translocated by trained Authority personnel,” he said.
“The crocodile was subsequently released back into the river. No human injuries or property damage were recorded.”
He explained that the crocodile’s movement onto land was not unusual.
“The Authority notes that the incident occurred within the species’ natural range and habitat. The lodge is situated in a riverine environment along the Zambezi River, which supports established crocodile populations,” Mr Safuli said.
“Terrestrial movement by crocodiles is normal behaviour and is commonly associated with basking, nesting, dispersal, or territorial activity.”
