Vegetable seller finds crocodile in shop
GEORGE TOWN: Vegetable shop owner Loh Boon Seng, 60, was opening his shop early today morning when the owner of the stall next door told him there was something weird behind the shop.
He could not make out what it was due to the 6.30am darkness but was shocked when the flashlight from his phone reflected shining eyes and a long silhouette.
"I was frightened as I did not know what it was," he told reporters after firemen captured a juvenile crocodile behind the drain of his shop near the Jelutong wet market.
Loh said passers-by had alerted the Fire and Rescue Services Department after they noticed something amiss.
He said he did not know where the reptile could have come from and was surprised the creature could fit in a small and narrow drain.
Jalan Perak Fire and Rescue Services Department chief Yamin Tekor said people in the area reported seeing a "big lizard" behind a shop.
"The 'lizard' turned out to be a juvenile crocodile when we captured the creature," he told reporters when contacted.
The reptile which measures about 1.2m long and is estimated to be as heavy as 10kg will be handed over to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks.
Meanwhile at Kampung Kubu in PENANTI on the mainland, the hunt for a 2.4m long crocodile is still ongoing.
The hunt began after villagers sighted the reptile on Friday afternoon.
Wildlife and National Parks officers along with firemen are currently searching for the reptile which remains elusive.
Authorities believe the crocodile is a saltwater crocodile, locally known as 'buaya tembaga', which got lost near Sungai Mati there following heavy rains.
They plan to release the crocodile back to its natural habitat.
Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) advisor D. Kanda Kumar advised the public to stay away from the crocodile if spotted.
He said the reptile can be dangerous if provoked and urged residents there to exercise caution.
"When you see a crocodile, do not disturb it and try to be as far away as possible," he told theSun when contacted.