BANGKOK (The Nation Thailand/ANN): Residents and monks in Thailand’s Prachinburi province breathed a sigh of relief after a crocodile weighing more than 400kg was moved from Wat Pho Thong as flooding spread across the temple grounds.
On the afternoon of Sept 27, Juthamas Buaphuean, chief of Si Maha Phot district, received a request from the temple for officials to help relocate the crocodile from its flooded enclosure.
She coordinated with the Department of Fisheries, Ruamkatanyu Foundation rescue volunteers, and residents to carry out the operation.
Officials secured the crocodile’s jaws and legs with ropes before moving it onto the road. A truck-mounted crane then lifted the animal onto a vehicle for transport.
The crocodile, named Nuea Thong, is 27 years old, more than 4m long, and weighs over 400kg.
Water around its enclosure at Wat Pho Thong had risen to about 1.3m. The crocodile was taken to a temporary holding facility in another subdistrict approximately 20km away, where flooding had not affected the area.
The relocation brought relief to the temple abbot, residents and officials, who had been concerned that the crocodile could escape from its enclosure and enter the Prachin Buri River as floodwater continued to rise.
The authorities feared such an escape could cause alarm among nearby communities. -- THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
