Pregnant wife saves man from croc
3 March 2010, 07:15
By Marie Strachan
Dragged from the jaws of a crocodile by his pregnant wife, Lawrence Munro considers himself lucky to be alive.
A senior ranger at the Makhamisa Base Camp in the remote south-eastern wilderness section of the Imfolozi portion of the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, Munro and his wife Kerryn had gone down to the White Umfolozi River to check on a pump that feeds water to the base camp.
"Our dogs had come with us and they went into the river. As it was a lovely sunset, we also went across the river for a walk. On our way back, we stopped to sit on some rocks at the side of the river and put our feet in the water to clean off the sand."
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Dragged from the jaws of a crocodile by his pregnant wife, Lawrence Munro considers himself lucky to be alive.
A senior ranger at the Makhamisa Base Camp in the remote south-eastern wilderness section of the Imfolozi portion of the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, Munro and his wife Kerryn had gone down to the White Umfolozi River to check on a pump that feeds water to the base camp.
"Our dogs had come with us and they went into the river. As it was a lovely sunset, we also went across the river for a walk. On our way back, we stopped to sit on some rocks at the side of the river and put our feet in the water to clean off the sand."
No sooner had Munro started shaking the sand off his feet in the water than a crocodile grabbed him by the left foot.
"It was a matter of seconds. I grabbed hold of the rocks and started kicking the croc with my right foot. He let go and grabbed again, getting hold of both feet. I tried to get to my rifle, but I had been dragged closer to the water and couldn't reach it. Kerryn grabbed under my arm and around my neck and started pulling. Eventually the croc let go.
"My two-way radio had come loose and fallen into the river during the struggle so we couldn't call for help."
His five-month-pregnant wife did what she could to help him, then ran to their camp to get help. He was carried on to a stretcher to the camp and taken from there to the Bay Hospital in Richards Bay.
Munro has a bad gash on the sole of his left foot and has undergone two operations to repair damaged tendons in his right foot.
"After Kerryn left me to fetch help, I tore off my shirt and tried to bandage my feet. I haven't seen my injuries since," he said.
"The river is just above ankle deep. During the winter months it is only a small stream that you can jump over. There must be a hollow in the river bed, where the crocodile was lying in deeper water.
"I am just glad Kerryn was with me and was able to help me get away from the croc. If she hadn't been there, the ending would have been bad. I am also glad the croc took my feet and not hers, as she was sitting right next to me with her feet in the water."
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesman Jeff Gaisford said Munro was an extremely experienced ranger, respected for his part in tracking poachers in the wilderness section.
Undeterred by the experience, Munro said he was looking forward to getting back to the camp and his job.
- This article was originally published on page 5 of The Mercury on March 03, 2010
Pretoria
