Crocodile farming threatened by flooding

Ethiopia’s only commercial crocodile farm is under threat because thousands of the reptiles are being killed in floods each year.

The Nile crocodiles – which are normally kept in ponds in temperatures of 34 degrees centigrade - are dying of pneumonia from the cold floodwaters. Assegid Gebre, the manager of the farm, told IRIN that the baby crocodiles are unable to survive the extreme changes in temperature.

The farm – which is called Crocodile Ranch and attracts tourists from all over the world – is built on the edge of Lake Abaya in Arba Minch, in Ethiopia's southern Rift Valley, and is home to around 4,000 of the reptiles. But each year, following the rains, floods are wiping out most of their stock – with more than 2,000 killed last year alone. Two years ago almost half the stock was killed in floods.

"This is a serious problem we are facing," he said. "We do not have the resources at the moment to move the farm away from the edge of the lake which means if it floods then the crocodiles will die. If it carries on we won’t be able to cope."

Assegid argues that the farm helps ensure the survival of the Nile crocodiles in the lake because it prevents poaching. A crocodile on average will sell for around US $81 and the farm hopes to be selling 20,000 a year – bringing in US $1.6 million. But since it was set up in 1986 only 5,658 have been sold.

Ethiopia is trying to break into the Far East market where the skins of the reptiles are used for shoes and ladies' handbags. Sales of animal skins make up a huge proportion of badly needed income for the country and are second only to coffee exports, but the crocodile market is still largely untapped.

The farm, which employs 28 staff, is on the brink of a large order to supply crocodiles to a Zimbabwean export company. It hopes the deal will lead to new markets and bring in desperately needed income. Assegid said that the animals are well looked after – fed on Talapia fish offal - and are killed humanely. When they get to the age of between three and five they are shot and skinned before being sold.

"Without the farm poaching would occur in the lake," Assegid stressed. "The farm also attracts tourists who like to come and look around. But if we cannot prevent the flooding then there will be no crocodiles left here."