• Giant crocodile sparks panic inside Victoria Falls hotel
• Wildlife teams intervene and safely return animal to natural habitat

A large crocodile caused panic at a tourist hotel in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, after breaking into the building and attempting to reach the kitchen, forcing guests and staff to flee in fear.

The incident occurred at the A’Zambezi River Lodge, where a crocodile measuring around four metres reportedly entered the premises, prompting scenes of chaos as people searched for safety.

A widely circulated video shows the reptile moving through the hotel lobby before heading toward the reception area, where it tried to climb onto the counter. It struggled due to its short limbs but managed to partially hoist itself onto the surface.

Wildlife rangers from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority were deployed to the scene in an effort to contain and remove the animal from the hotel.

After initial attempts to guide it back toward the Zambezi River, the team eventually managed to restrain the crocodile using ropes while it was inside a water feature outside the building, before transporting it safely.

Authorities later confirmed that the crocodile was released back into the Zambezi River, its natural habitat, with no injuries or property damage reported.

The wildlife authority noted that crocodiles moving on land is normal behaviour, especially in river-adjacent areas, as they may travel for basking, breeding, or searching for new territory.