SEOUL: A 50-centimetre-long crocodile pulled from a stream in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, over the weekend has been identified as one of the world's rarest reptiles — the Siamese crocodile.
An examination by the National Institute of Biological Resources found that the reptile, which has an olive-brown body, a long, narrow snout and a lightly armoured back covered in rough, rectangular scales, is a Siamese crocodile.
Native to Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, the Siamese crocodile is a medium-sized freshwater species distinguished by a bony ridge at the back of its head.
The species is listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which covers species facing the highest risk of extinction. International commercial trade in wild-caught specimens and their parts is generally prohibited under the convention.
Yeoju City is temporarily housing the crocodile at a local animal shelter after taking custody of it from firefighters.
The city had initially planned to use a mandatory 10-day notice period to try to locate the crocodile's owner. However, officials are reportedly reviewing how to manage the animal after its identification as a rare species.
