We understand there was a commotion recently after an alligator was found in a stream in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, and it turns out to be an endangered species?
Yes. Analysis of the approximately 80-centimeter-long alligator captured in the Soyangcheon Stream in Yeoju on the 18th confirmed it to be a Siamese crocodile, a CITES Appendix I endangered species.
Siamese crocodiles are rare species that primarily inhabit rivers and swamps in Southeast Asia. Their wild population is currently very small, and they are known to grow up to 4 meters in length when fully mature.
The alligator is currently being temporarily sheltered at the Yeoju Animal Protection Center, and the city has issued a 10-day public notice to search for its owner.
However, given that the breeding and distribution of internationally endangered species are strictly restricted, the likelihood of an owner coming forward appears slim.
If no owner steps forward by the end of the public notice period, the alligator is scheduled to be transferred to the National Institute of Ecology, while police are investigating the circumstances surrounding who abandoned the alligator in the stream.
(Photo Source: Gyeonggi Provincial Disaster and Safety Headquarters, Yeoju City)
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