Sudan Nile crocodile surge threatens riverside communities amid conflict

Communities along Sudan's Nile have reported an unprecedented increase in Nile crocodile sightings, with animals appearing close to villages, farms and water collection points in Northern State, Dongola and even southern Khartoum. The heightened presence has led to fatal attacks, including the killing of farmer Omar Mohammed Abdel Khaliq on Sai Island, where he was dragged into the river by a large crocodile.

Experts suggest that changing water levels, climate pressures and agricultural expansion may be driving the crocodiles closer to human settlements. Dam engineer Mohammed Hafez linked low Nile levels—exacerbated by El Niño and water releases from Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam—to the altered river conditions. He called for coordinated water‑release management between Sudan and Ethiopia to mitigate further ecological disruptions. The ongoing conflict in Sudan hampers government response and limits the capacity to protect vulnerable riverside populations.