Khaberni - A strange incident occurred in Kafr El-Pharaonia village belonging to Ashmoun center in Menofia Governorate, northern Egypt, which astonished and frightened the locals after a young man found a crocodile swimming in the Nile River waters at the village.
The incident began when the young man was swimming in the waterway and approached a swimming creature, assuming it was a big fish, only to be shocked when he grabbed it to find it was a crocodile, causing a state of anxiety and panic among the citizens present in the area.
A security force immediately moved to the incident site to conduct the necessary inspection and verify the accuracy of the incident, where it was decided to take custody of the crocodile, which was found to be about 60 centimeters long and estimated to be about 3 months old, while the specialized veterinary authorities were informed who took the animal for examination and custody in preparation for its transfer to a safe environment ensuring the safety of the citizens.
Crocodile relocation procedures
The authorities speculated that someone had bought the crocodile from the known animal trade markets in Cairo when it was just days old with the intention of raising it as a pet, and as it quickly grew larger and began showing aggression, they disposed of it by throwing it into the waters of Menofia irrigation.
The Veterinary Directorate of the Governorate announced the start of legal procedures for transferring the crocodile and permanently depositing it in the Cairo Aquarium, alongside initiating a thorough combing operation of the area and surrounding waterways to ensure they are completely free of any reptiles or other crocodiles that might endanger the locals.
The incident of the Menofia crocodile and similar incidents that have been repeated over the recent weeks have sparked a large debate and questions about the reason for their appearances, as small crocodiles have recently appeared in the governorates of Giza, Qalyubia, and Sharqia.
Previously, the authorities speculated that the crocodiles appearing in the canals and drains are the results of "illegal home breeding," where some enthusiasts buy small crocodiles from famous markets such as "Souq El-Sayeda Aisha" in Cairo, and as they rapidly grow and become more aggressive and difficult to control and expensive to feed, their owners dispose of them by throwing them into the nearest waterway.
