Uganda Wildlife Authority officials managed to catch the 1-tonne (157-stone) reptile

Apr 2, 2014 14:58 GMT  ·  By

An enormous crocodile which is said to have killed and eaten four people in Jinja and Mayuge districts in Uganda was captured by the authorities after a four-day hunt.

The 1-tonne (157-stone) reptile was trapped by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) officials on Sunday night in Kakira village, and finally captured alive on Monday, much to the relief of the area residents, for whom the giant croc has been a consistent source of terror.

UWA officials managed to trap the reptile using a hook with a piece of meat attached to it as bait. They say the large beast is approximately 80 years old and four-meter (13.12-foot) long.

Around 100 residents gathered in Kakira county to watch the crocodile being brought to shore and then pulled on to the back of a truck by officials. After being bundled up and blind-folded with a blanket, the large animal was transferred to the Murchison Falls National Park.

“Residents appealed to UWA to hunt the crocodile following the death of a resident from Kakira town council in Jinja district,” UWA official Sulani Tumanya said, according to Metro.

Many fishermen who used to fish along the shores of Lake Victoria refused to go near the lake until the crocodile was caught.