Kenya traps crocodiles as Lake Baringo rises

Kenyan wildlife officers are trapping crocodiles around Lake Baringo and moving them to a protected park as rising waters push the reptiles closer to homes.

The Kenya Wildlife Service launched a week-long operation late last week to relocate some of the larger crocodiles from the lake. It said about 13 had already been captured, with a target of at least 30 by the end of the operation.

Officers are using traps baited with dead fish and, in one tactic, recordings of a distressed dog played through a speaker on the shore. Dominic Mijele, the Kenya Wildlife Service veterinary officer in charge of the operation, said catching the crocodiles was difficult and dangerous.

Lakes in Kenya’s Rift Valley have risen to levels not seen in at least half a century. Scientists attribute the surge to extreme rainfall linked to climate change. Official data says tens of thousands of people have been displaced to higher ground, and wildlife has been brought into close contact with people.

Mijele said Lake Baringo is home to more than 200 crocodiles, according to a rough estimate. He said the operation is targeting those weighing 200 kilograms or more to help manage the population.

An AFP analysis of Copernicus Sentinel and NASA Landsat satellite imagery found that Lake Baringo has expanded by 70 percent since 2010 to cover 234 square kilometres. Mijele said officers fear El Nino rains could raise the water further and push crocodiles into villages.

Some fishmongers welcomed the relocation, saying it would make the area safer and protect fishing nets. Other residents said they feared moving crocodiles away could hurt tourism businesses that rely on visitors.