Snakes and crocs roam flood areas

By DAVID TERRY
A man was attacked by a crocodile and evacuated by chopper from Bagou near Cape Killerton to Popondetta hospital yesterday and another crocodile was shot and killed in the area last night.
These incidents have warned people in the flood-devastated province of new dangers, the presence of snakes and crocodiles.
Hundreds of man eating crocodiles and poisonous snakes have reportedly been flushed out of their habitation by the flood, and are “on the loose”.
The bush lands and oil palm plantations are predominantly inhabited by the Papuan Black snakes.
The Papuan Black snake venom can kill human beings within a matter of minutes.
Health authorities in Popondetta said the hospital had run out of anti - venom drugs and as a result, they could not attend to a snake bite victim in Afore district.
According to health authorities the victim survived probably because he was bitten by a non-poisonous snake.
A 2m crocodile ventured into the Kapiak village in Uvivi on the outskirts of Popondetta town last night and threatened to attack a family when policemen intervened and shot the reptile.
There are fears that up to 40 of these reptiles bred in two crocodile farms in Popondetta were set loose by the flood but the matter was not reported to police or the local authorities.
With their habitation and food sources destroyed, the crocodiles are scavenging for food and may venture into human settlements to attack other animals and human beings.
The Popondetta town water supply system remains shut and as hundreds of people continue to frequent the river systems to fetch water, they are exposed to these dangers.
The provincial authorities would be issuing a warning through radio Oro for people to watch out for these predators.
John Max Angoro, a father of seven said at around 10 pm they heard the dogs barking and growling at his Kapiak village on the outskirts of Popondetta town.
He went out with his torch to investigate, and saw the crocodile propping up on its tail and back hinds.
The petrified villager yelled for help and some villagers rushed to the scene but they could not kill it with spears and axes because the monster opened its jaws and threatened to attack them.
They contacted Popondetta police who arrived at the scene and after lodging six high powered AR bullets into the reptile, the villagers used spears and axes to kill it.
The policemen bound the reptile’s hinds with wire and took it away.