The crocodile is transferred to the FLC Safari Quy Nhon Zoo in Quy Nhon Dong Ward, Gia Lai Province, for initial care on October 22. Photo by the Quy Nhon Nam Ward People’s Committee
A resident in Quy Nhon Nam Ward, Gia Lai Province, was startled to discover a crocodile in a residential area on the afternoon of October 22 and immediately alerted local authorities.
According to the Quy Nhon Nam Ward People’s Committee, officials and residents worked together to capture the reptile. The crocodile appeared exhausted and offered no resistance during the capture. It was later transferred to the FLC Safari Quy Nhon Zoo in Quy Nhon Dong Ward, Gia Lai Province, for initial care.
Preliminary assessment by authorities identified the animal as a member of Group IB, a category of endangered and precious species prioritised for protection under Vietnamese law.
Nguyen Thi Bich Hoa, chairwoman of the Quy Nhon Nam Ward People’s Committee, said this was the first time a crocodile had ever been seen in a residential area in the locality.
Local leaders confirmed that no households in the area keep crocodiles. The animal was found near a mountainous area, and initial assessments suggest it might be a wild crocodile that entered the community following several recent heavy rains.
