Never Smile at a Crocodile: It’s not uncommon for eateries to have unwelcomed guests from time to time, but for one restaurant in Zimbabwe, the arrival of a 12-foot crocodile was far from expected.
A video posted to social media channels showed how diners anxiously watched a crocodile enter, then proceed to scale the kitchen counter at the award-winning A’Zambezi River Lodge in Zimbabwe.
As customers scrambled to safety, rangers and wildlife experts front he Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority quickly arrived, capturing the crocodile as it settled on a couch.
One British tourist dining inside said that the encounter was extraordinary, and detailed how waiters said the crocodile walked in as if it were a paying customer.
"Waiters told us how it had just walked in as if it was a paying guest, and when it couldn't get a table, enquired at the desk, and finding nobody there, actually tried to climb over it to get into the kitchens," he said.
"Then it went to an armchair and lay on it and then sauntered out to the decking where all the tables are and with no grub on the menu settled down in a water feature out the front where it seemed happy."
A spokesperson from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority confirmed the crocodile was successfully captured.
"The Nile crocodile came from the nearby Zambezi and was safely immobilised by our personnel and taken away and safely released back into the Zambezi."
Venue management emphasised that the property’s proximity to attracting wildlife is part of its character and why tourists continue to visit. Management added that the area is protected and coexistence with nature is a priority.
The Nile Crocodile, reaching four metres in length, is one of Africa’s most formidable predators. Some can reach up to six metres in length, weighing up to a tonne, and can move up to 20 miles per hour.
Nile Crocodiles are responsible for approximately 1,100 human fatalities every year across Africa.
Subscribe to the Restaurant & Café newsletter for weekly industry updates and event coverage.
