Crocodile hunting in Namibia

Crocodiles are large cold blooded aquatic reptiles that have been around since prehistoric times. Feared by some communities and worshipped by others. These giant lizards with hard scutes on their backs lie around most of the day absorbing the warm sun rays. Once energised by the sun’s warmth they become a cunning furious predator. Crocodiles were excessively hunted in the earlier years of the previous century for their skins. However, with intensified conservation efforts and the establishment of numerous crocodile farms throughout Southern Africa, numbers and crocodile sizes have increased significantly. Crocodiles are hunted in the numerous waterways and swamps of the Zambezi Region, formerly known as the Caprivi Strip. Crocodiles have an acute sense of hearing and can be difficult to hunt. In some instances they may be hunted while basking on a sandbank. The most successful hunting method is to bait a crocodile using a rotten carcass staked into the ground on the water’s edge where a suitable specimen has been sighted. When hunting a crocodile, CITES permits are required from both the Namibian Nature Conservation Authority, as the country of origin and from the hunters country of residency for the importation of the trophy as the final destination.