SINGAPORE — A large crocodile recently sighted on a beach at Marina East Drive has been captured and will be put down for the public’s safety, said the National Parks Board (NParks).

Responding to CNA’s queries on Thursday (Oct 12), NParks said it received reports of the nearly 3m-long saltwater crocodile on Tuesday.

The “relatively large” crocodile was found near East Coast Park, a popular beachfront, and has since been trapped and removed.

When asked why NParks chose to put down the reptile instead of relocating it, NParks’ director of wildlife management and outreach How Choon Beng said there is “a risk of the crocodile returning to the location where it was captured”.

In 2021, a 1.53m-long juvenile crocodile was seen swimming in a canal near Fort Road. It was later relocated to the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

But Mr How noted that crocodile was a “smaller specimen that was assessed to be of a lesser risk to public safety”.

“Today, the Wetland Reserve has a large population of crocodiles and is no longer a suitable release site,” he said.

“In view of the above factors, NParks will humanely put down the captured crocodile in the interest of public safety.”

Mr How also advised the public to stay calm and back away if they encounter a crocodile.

“They should not approach, provoke, or feed the animal. They should also heed warning signs and advisory notices that have been posted at areas where crocodiles have been sighted,” he said.

Also known as Estuarine crocodiles, saltwater crocodiles feed and rest in brackish and freshwater areas, and are usually found in the water or mudflats away from visitor routes.

The crocodiles mainly hunt in Singapore and at night, feeding mostly on fish, which is its most abundant prey. CNA

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