A multi-agency operation seized two live Nile crocodiles from a residential property in Springs on Monday, 25 May 2026, following reports that protected reptiles were being kept illegally without permits.
The operation brought together members of the Tshwane K9 unit, the Gauteng Department of Environment, the Vereeniging Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit, the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital, and the Springs Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Authorities had received information that two tortoises and two crocodiles were being held at the address without the necessary documentation.
A search warrant was applied for and subsequently approved by the Springs Magistrate’s Court. Armed with the warrant, the combined teams arrived at the property around 10:00. The homeowner was not present, and the officers were escorted onto the premises by an individual described as a manager of the owner’s company.
During the search, officials discovered a black steel enclosure, roughly 5.6 metres by 1.8 metres in size, containing two Nile crocodiles alongside a small blue splash pool. The reptiles measured 1.48 metres and 1.7 metres in length and had allegedly been kept at the location for more than two years. No tortoises were found on the property.
The crocodiles were confiscated and handed over to the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital for medical evaluation and housing.
A criminal case has been registered at the SAPS Springs station for violating the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, which prohibits keeping threatened or protected species without a valid permit. The investigation remains active.
Authorities urge anyone considering keeping exotic pets or wildlife to educate themselves on the relevant wildlife protection laws and to verify whether lawful permits can be obtained for such species.
