NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: Two large crocodiles that escaped from a municipal zoo during floods last weekend were captured on Saturday, bringing a sigh of relief to local residents.
The two reptiles were among four crocodiles owned by the Tha Lad zoo, part of the 1,257-rai Somdet Phra Srinagarindra 84 Public Park in Muang district.
A team of crocodile hunters went to the Paekarn pier on the Khlong Tha Pae canal in Muang district on Saturday after local residents reported spotting a large crocodile believed to be the one named Nadia swimming near the pier.
When the team arrived, they found the croc emerging from the canal. The team managed to capture the reptile with an electric lasso that delivers a low-voltage shock to subdue it.
However, the croc turned out not to be Nadia, a giant female about five metres long, but Ai Yak, a male that had escaped from the same cage last week.
Nikhom Suksawat, one of the hunters, confirmed the captured croc was Ai Yak. Nadia was believed to be inside the flooded park, he said.
Thai media reported that the team later managed to capture Nadia at a deer cage inside the park. She was later taken back to her enclosure.
Nakhon Si Thammarat governor Chamroen Thippayapongthada went to the inspect the crocodile cage at the Tha Lad zoo.
The hunters, meanwhile, continued efforts to locate other crocs on the loose from private farms.
Confusion surrounded the origin of some of the escaped reptiles earlier, with the municipality insisting that all four of the crocodiles at the Tha Lad zoo were still locked in their compound. A deputy mayor said that about 10 escaped crocs were from a private zoo.
At least two escaped crocodiles were shot and butchered for meat by local residents last week.
The captured crocodile Nadia is lifted by a crane from the deer cage where she was found to be returned to her pond in the zoo.