Crocodile Dundee in Zimbabwe

During the first two weeks of October every year small groups of men spill silently out of ski-boats moored in thick reeds and scramble up crocodile-infested sandbanks. They walk along the shores of Lake Kariba in north-western Zimbabwe, prodding the soft soil frequently with metre-long metal spikes.

Worn Leather Hat Adorned With Animal Claws

In the lead is a man who could have stepped from the pages of a Wilbur Smith novel: Darryl Edwards is tall, dark, handsome and exceptionally smart. His well-developed five o'clock shadow is shaded by a worn leather hat adorned with animal claws.

He is a man of no unnecessary words or smiles who, behind his undisclosing face, holds a deep understanding of nature and a Masters degree in Animal Science. His rugged colleague, Garry Sutton, would look quite at ease in a Camel safari advertisement. Unaware of their hero-like appeal they exchange glances and walk in opposite directions.

Out of the heart of Africa, these two mysterious men are real-life Crocodile Dundees. They are hired by a Harare crocodile farm to collect as many eggs during the short laying season as possible, and are actively encouraged by the National Parks Board.

Finding a Croc's Nest is not that Easy

Nile crocodiles inhabit Lake Kariba in their thousands and are breeding too successfully and pose a real threat to village life on the banks of this enormous lake. Accompanied by a National Parks Board officer, we cruised along a designated 65km concession of Kariba shore during the brief laying season at the beginning of October, looking for nests.

The nests proved extremely hard to find as the eggs are laid about half a metre under the surface in a pit which the female crocodile fastidiously covers with sand. She conceals it further with gravel, leaves or dry grass so that even a seasoned crocodile egg-hunting expert finds them hard to spot.

Spoor indicating a nest, such as the drag mark of a heavy tail from the water's edge or a test hole that the female has previously dug to check the suitability of her site, are often the only indications of a nest. Sam Chiningo is a long-standing egg collector and needs no such obvious clues.

He possesses an uncanny instinct, which enables him to find more nests than any of his colleagues. A sprinkling of sand on a rock may be the only sign he needs to locate the hidden eggs. The rest of the crew prod deeply into the soft sand at every suitable spot while Sam strides towards an unlikely patch in the bushes.