Plan to Continue Search for Tourist and Resident Safety
First Case of Alligator Found in Domestic River if Appears
Search operations have been ongoing for over a week after a crocodile was spotted in Museom Village, Yeongju City, Gyeongbuk Province.
According to Yeongju City and the Ministry of Environment on the 20th, four temporary workers from the city’s Environmental Protection Division have been searching for the crocodile from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. along a 3 to 4 km stretch on both banks of Museomgyo Bridge in Munsu-myeon, as well as around the Naeseongcheon area within Museom Village.
Museom Village, where the Naeseongcheon River, a tributary of the Nakdong River, winds around three sides of the village, is designated as a national folk cultural asset.
A city official said, "Regardless of the authenticity of the crocodile sightings, if it is not found or captured soon, it could lead to a decrease in tourists, which is concerning."
As the crocodile has not been found for a long time, some have expressed doubts, suggesting that witnesses may have mistaken otters or other animals for a crocodile. However, environmental authorities plan to continue the search, citing the detailed nature of the reports.
Lee Jang-wook, head of Yeongju City’s Environmental Protection Division, told Yonhap News Agency, "It is too early to dismiss this as a hoax, as the sightings are quite detailed and consistent. Since crocodiles have difficulty surviving the winter, we will continue to monitor the situation during the summer for the safety of tourists and residents."
The city plans to capture the crocodile and hand it over to the Gyeongbuk Wildlife Rescue and Management Center if it is found.
Search Continues Following Report That "Crocodile Outside Water Disappeared into Naeseongcheon"
Officials from the Environmental Protection Division are searching for a crocodile in Naeseongcheon, Munsu-myeon, Yeongju-si, Gyeongbuk. [Image source=Yonhap News]
The report of a crocodile sighting was received around 7 p.m. on the 13th.
One Korean national and four seasonal workers from the Philippines stated that "a crocodile about 1 meter long with a body as thick as a thigh was outside the water and then disappeared underwater into Naeseongcheon."
At the time, witness Woo said, "Before sunset, after finishing work with the Filipinos, I clearly saw the crocodile slowly disappear into the water. I couldn’t believe it, so I asked the Filipinos next to me, and they said it was a 'crocodile.'"
However, there are no photos or videos of the scene.
Upon receiving the report, Yeongju City immediately began a search for the crocodile after reporting the situation to Gyeongbuk Province and the Daegu Regional Environmental Office.
Safety warning banners were hung at four locations around Museom Village, and on the 15th, five closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras were installed near Museomgyo Bridge.
At night, one or two drones equipped with thermal imaging are deployed to search the area.
The river near Museomgyo Bridge in Yeongju is said to have shallow and clear water. Yeongju City expanded the search to areas with abundant aquatic plants but has not found any concrete traces such as crocodile footprints or droppings.
Nevertheless, environmental authorities plan to continue monitoring the vicinity of the reported sighting for the time being. The Ministry of Environment noted that there were five reporters in total and that the sunset on the day of the report was around 7:40 p.m., so the 7 p.m. sighting time would have allowed for clear visibility.
Meanwhile, crocodiles, as poikilothermic animals, can survive for a year without eating anything other than water. If confirmed to be a crocodile as reported, this would be the first case of a crocodile being found in a domestic river in South Korea.
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