Firefighters earlier this month successfully rescued dozens of crocodiles after a fire broke out on the thatched rooftops of their pond enclosures at the Otjiwarongo Crocodile Farm.
Otjiwarongo Municipality fire department chief Daniel Pavaza says several crocodiles were directly affected by heavy smoke on 18 August, adding crocodiles are particularly vulnerable to smoke inhalation as they are largely waterborne reptiles.
“The quick response by our six-man firefighting team was a high-risk operation, as firefighters entered the enclosures to move the reptiles to safety before tackling the flames.
“It was a double to triple danger my team faced, as well as the crocodiles themselves,” he says.
The firefighters faced several hazards, including possible crocodile attacks and the risk of drowning in the confined enclosure spaces.
The fire reportedly started in grass outside the property and spread to the thatched roofs due to strong winds.
It was completely extinguished within an hour using three firefighting trucks, Pavaza says.
Otjiwarongo Crocodile Farm manager Dieter Noelle, who was present when the fire broke out, says the property damage is estimated to be nearly N$150 000. The farm has six ponds, each with a thatched rooftop mounted to provide natural shade to help the crocodiles regulate their body temperature in hot weather, he says.
Noelle says the thatched structures had provided shade to the crocodiles for the past 35 years.
The privately owned farm, which now serves as a tourist attraction, was established in 1985 with 60 crocodiles translocated from Botswana to Namibia. Today, the facility houses crocodiles ranging from hatchlings to adults. Four of the oldest male crocodiles are 41 years old.
Noelle says beyond tourism, the farm is an important business and source of livelihood as it also supports about 20 permanent and temporary workers.
The facility also supplies crocodile meat, teeth, and high-end leather goods to both local and international markets.
