Owner of endangered Siamese crocodile found in Gyeonggi stream apprehended after search
The suspect denied abandoning the reptile and asked, "Why would I abandon a crocodile that I had raised for so long and that is so valuable?"
The Siamese crocodile that was found along a stream in Yeoju, Gyeonggi.
YEOJU CITY GOVERNMENT
The owner of a critically endangered Siamese crocodile found along a stream in Yeoju, Gyeonggi, was apprehended by police eight days after the reptile was discovered.
The owner, only identified as a person in their 30s, was booked on suspicion of violating the Wildlife Protection and Management Act, according to the Yeoju Police Station on Monday.
The person is accused of purchasing and raising the Siamese crocodile after buying it through an online reptile trading community. The Siamese crocodile is listed as a critically endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites). Capturing, trading or possessing the species without authorization is prohibited.
The crocodile was captured by fire authorities at around 11:27 a.m. near Soyang Stream in Chang-dong, Yeoju on July 18 after a resident reported seeing what appeared to be a pet crocodile. The Yeoju city government then transferred the crocodile to the National Institute of Ecology, and police investigated the owner's identity through interviews with local residents.
During the investigation, police obtained statements from residents that a person nearby had been raising reptiles for more than 10 years. Officers apprehended the owner on Sunday at their home near the site where the crocodile was captured.
The owner told police that they bought the Siamese crocodile through an online community three years ago for 1.2 million won ($820) and received it by parcel delivery.
The person denied allegations of abandoning the animal.
"I put the Siamese crocodile outside in the yard about two weeks ago to let it sunbathe, but it disappeared," the owner said. "Why would I abandon a crocodile that I had raised for so long and that is so valuable?"
Police also reportedly found an alligator snapping turtle at the owner's home. The alligator snapping turtle is listed as a Cites Appendix II species — not endangered but could become so unless trade is controlled — and is designated in Korea as an ecosystem-disturbing species.
Police said they will continue investigating the circumstances of the case while expanding the probe to identify the seller of the crocodile.
BY KIM JI-HYE [[email protected]]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
