Current Crazy Croc Encounter - Out of place Alligators in the states

Current Crazy Croc Encounter

What is that thing in Hickory Lake?

Chad Arment has passed along updates on a 2 to 3 ft long crocodilian being sighted and photographed in Hickory Lake, North Carolina. Seen for a week now (since Mother’s Day, May 11, 2008), it remains uncaught.

Another link at CrytoMundo was to a story about a new species of ancient croc found as a fossil which was in the news in late March:

New Prehistoric Crocodilian

Crazy croc Syndrome!

It is interesting to note there is a term for what has happened.

The appearance of alligators and crocodiles in areas far from their native habitat is known in Forteana as the crazy croc syndrome or the crazy crocs. It is a problem which goes back many years see here:

Fortean Historical Archive: Out Of Place Alligators

Another clutch of incidents was in 2005:

2005 has been a bumper year for crazy croc incidents, with reports from areas as diverse as South Seattle, Wash., Rehoboth, Mass. and Charleston, West Virginia... (Editor's Comment: We've had isolated crazy croc sightings in the USA before. Fortean researcher Loren Coleman has documented hundreds of them dating back to the early 1930s. But, to my knowledge, this is the first sustained crazy croc flap we've ever had, with sightings every week.)

Source

Another incident in 2005 was in Cyprus - "Wildlife workers in Cyprus are trying to verify reports that crocodiles may be on the loose at a popular tourist nature spot after they became too dangerous for their owner to handle."

"The reptiles are believed to have been smuggled in to the eastern Mediterranean island, where crocodiles do not breed and the closest nature cousin is the innocuous chameleon."

This is the fourth report in three weeks about out-of-place crocodiles or alligators turning up in areas far from their natural habitat.

Chris Fleming's Unknown Magazine

Another interesting sighting was an Alligator in Maine in September 2000 a pretty unseasonable time one would have thought:

OUT-OF-PLACE ALLIGATOR SNAPS AT A MAN IN KENNEBUNKPORT, MAINE

One of the weirdest Fortean phenomena is the "Crazy Croc syndrome," the sudden and unexplained appearance of alligators in places far from their natural habitat.

Just such an incident occurred last week in Kennebunkport, Maine (population 1,200), a seaside resort town on Route 9 located about 26 miles (40 kilometers) south of Portland.

(Editor's Note: The Bush family mansion, summer home of former President George Herbert Walker Bush, and his son, Gov. George W. Bush, the current Republican Party candidate for USA president, is located on Walker's Point in Kennebunkport.)

(Editor's Comment: Cue spooky organ music...) "An alligator that nipped at a man's trousers was likely someone's pet that was set free, police said."

"William Sartry shot the 31-inch-reptile dead. He said the alligator approached him while he was walking around a pond in his back yard."

"'You're going to think I'm nuts,' Sarty told a police dispatcher when he reported the incident." (See USA Today for September 20, 2000, "Maine," page 6A.) from

Source

Charles Fort on Mystery Croc Reports

As always Charles Fort was the first to notice Crazy Croc Syndrome in his book LO!:

Maybe, in September, 1929, somebody lost an alligator. According to some of our data upon the insecurities of human mentality, there isn't anything that can't be lost by somebody. A look at Losts and Founds -- but especially Losts -- confirms this notion. New York American, Sept. 19, 1929 -- an alligator, 31 inches long, killed in the Hackensack Meadows, N.J., by Carl Weise, 14 Peerless Place, North Bergen, N.J. But my attention is attracted by another "mysterious appearance" of an alligator, about the same time. New York Sun, Sept. 23, 1929 -- an alligator, 28 inches long, found by Ralph Miles, in a small creek, near Wolcott, N.Y.

In the Gentleman's Magazine, Aug., 1866, somebody tells of a young crocodile, which, about ten years before, had been killed on a farm, at Over-Norton, Oxfordshire, England.

In the November issue of this magazine, C. Parr, a well-known writer upon antiquarian subjects, says that, thirty years before, near Chipping Norton, another young crocodile had been killed.⁽⁶⁾ According to Mr. Parr, still another young crocodile had been seen, at Over-Norton. In the Field, Aug. 23, 1862, is an account of a fourth young crocodile that had been seen, near Over-Norton.⁽⁷⁾

It looks as if, for about thirty years, there had been a translatory current, especially selective of young crocodiles, between somewhere, say in Egypt, and an appearing-point near Over-Norton. If, by design and functioning, in the distribution of life in an organism, or in one organic existence, we mean anything so misdirected as a teleportation of young crocodiles to a point in a land where they would be out of adaptation, we evidently mean not so very intelligent design and functioning. Possibly, or most likely. It seems to me that an existence that is capable of sending young butchers to medical schools, and young boilermakers to studios, would be capable of sending young crocodiles to Over-Norton, Oxfordshire, England.

Fort thinks telportation (a word he invented) might be involved. It is interesting that so many Crocs should have been seen in the 1860s in one area.

Crocodile or Otterdile?

One of the popular sceptical explanations for lake monsters is they are otters. See this video:



The idea that otters frequently swim in lines has not been popular with cryptozoologists as this post shows.

Cryptomundo.com » Otter Nonsense

Certainly some distant sightings of otters might confuse some people.

There has been otters sighted at the lake:

"just a few mounths ago there was a report of a otter in there so it was probelt the same one there" callum semmens 14, Neath

There has been a ongoing resurgence in otter numbers over the last ten years in the Swansea area as across the UK. Anglers on the Tawe are blaming otters for fish losses. See the Otter Survey of Wales 2002 which reports

In the 1977/8 and 1984/5 surveys, all the sites in this
hydrometric area were negative but a major increase
was evident in 1991 with 44% of sites positive. A
further 17 positive sites in 2002 now brings the
proportion of positive sites to 78% (81% if only the
sites common to all surveys are compared).
The greatest increases were associated with the
upper reaches of the Tawe and tributaries such as the
Twrch and Lower Clydach, where all the previously
negative sites became positive. Smaller rivers flowing
into the Loughor estuary also showed increases. Also
significant is the presence of otters on the Lliedi
reservoirs, near Llanelli, in an area with considerable
human disturbance.

Otters are mainly found upstream then but the closeness of Pluck lake to the river means that reports of otters here are not impossible. Perhaps most intriguing is the mystery plague of deaths blamed on otters or mink in Swansea a few years ago which caused panic amongst pond owners.

News - South West Wales - 'Mink' warning after fish deaths

6 Jan 2004

Since the late summer, an unknown animal has been preying on ponds in back gardens across the Killay and Derwen Fawr areas, killing dozens of fish.

Members of a gardening club believe a mink or possibly an otter is responsible and are urging people to protect their ponds.

Following an attack that left around a dozen of their neighbour's Koi carp decapitated, Alma and Ray Jenkins have covered the pond at their home on Dylan Road in Killay with mesh.

There was blood and fish remains everywhere but just the heads were taken Alma Jenkins

The couple say they know of at least eight incidents in the area in the past six months, but believe there could be many more that have gone unreported.

There are other reports:

RW Swansea
At 4.00am on 20th May I saw an adult otter on the Oystermouth Road directly opposite tescos and swansea i was driving at the time and got within 20 feet of it and saw it for at least 30 seconds i was struck at how big it was and obviously that it was so close to the city centre. I didnt think that there was a wild population in swansea and actually reported it to the police.

The problem for saying the Pluck Lake sighting was an otter is the distance. Steve Jenkins was only 3-4m from the creature. Thus it cannot be an otter I think.

Mumbles Mice

Got a post from the CFZ with the CFZ yearbok with an interesting article on Swansea Bay strange creatures by Oll Lewis . Interesting stuff on the Beast of Baglan and Swansea Jack but missed out some very interesting tales from the area like the Gower sea serpent. Another article revealed the existence of the Singing Mouse from Mumbles in 1937. This is even weirder than it sounds as it went on radio!

This story's monster has a serpent caul: Dylan Thomas on the Crocodile

Almost a week of further investigation in good weather and at Fendrod Lake as well has revealed NO further sign of the Croc at least not in life. However he has turned up in the work of Swansea's most famous bard Dylan Thomas. One example is in a short poem to an insect To-Day, This Insect which makes for interesting reading in this extract:

The insect certain is the plague of fables.

This story's monster has a serpent caul,
Blind in the coil scrams round the blazing outline,
Measures his own length on the garden wall
And breaks his shell in the last shocked beginning;
A crocodile before the chrysalis,
Before the fall from love the flying heartbone,
Winged like a sabbath ass this children's piece
Uncredited blows Jericho on Eden.

As noted before Pluck Lake is noted as a refuge for dragonflies which this poem is perhaps addressing. With such allusive verse who can say.

In the poem I, In My Intricate Image the last three stanzas state:

And in the pincers of the boiling circle,
The sea and instrument, nicked in the locks of time,
My great blood's iron single
In the pouring town,
I, in a wind on fire, from green Adam's cradle,
No man more magical, clawed out the crocodile.

Man was the scales, the death birds on enamel,
Tail, Nile, and snout, a saddler of the rushes,
Time in the hourless houses
Shaking the sea-hatched skull,
And, as for oils and ointments on the flying grail,
All-hollowed man wept for his white apparel.

Man was Cadaver's masker, the harnessing mantle,
Windily master of man was the rotten fathom,
My ghost in his metal neptune
Forged in man's mineral.
This was the god of beginning in the intricate seawhirl,
And my images roared and rose on heaven's hill.

What adds to the mysterious coincidences here is that the main other non-native element in Pluck Lake is terrapins. Earlier in the poem he uses the line:

They suffer the undead water where the turtle nibbles,
Come unto sea-stuck towers, at the fibre scaling,
The flight of the carnal skull

The poem describes a combination of mechanical and natural imagery very appropriate to the area which is reclaimed from Swansea's industrial history. Also interesting to note that the poem describes a mighty hill like Kilvey Hill:

They climb the country pinnacle,
Twelve winds encounter by the white host at pasture,
Corner the mounted meadows in the hill corral;
They see the squirrel stumble,

Swansea croc hunt

Another blog with a croc hunt :) Nice pictures...

Making It Snappy

Croc?

Very hot weather in Swansea today but further investigations in last few days have revealed nlo trace nor have thee been any reports. However you can now watch online the CFZ Guyana expedition from November last year film report 1 hour 40 mins of it . They looked for three elusive, potentially lethal, and hitherto undiscovered animals.
The Giant Anaconda, The Didi, The Water Tiger

Find out more here.

It is interesting that the CFZ team not only saw Cayman being roasted on a fire in the expedition but also heard rumours of a new species as Jon Downes reports:

Ernest told them of another potential cryptid – and this, to the best of our knowledge – has never been reported before in the annuls of cryptozoology. He is very familiar with Cuvier’s dwarf cayman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus) – the smallest known species of the Alligatoridae, reaching a maximum size of a mere 1.5 metres. However, on two occasions, he has seen a tiny cayman, much smaller than the dwarf cayman, brown in colour, with a red stripe down its back. It bellowed loudly, and most peculiarly, he reported it has having two tails.

The expedition’s driver said that he had seen these creatures as well, and Ernest took them to a cave system near a river where he claims that these creatures live.

The team explored these caves, and although they found nothing in there, Richard – who is, after all, a crocodilian expert, and was, at one time, Head of Reptiles at Twycross Zoo in the West Midlands of England - says that, in his opinion, these caves are eminently suitable for a small crocodilian to aestivate in during the harsh months of the dry summer. For those of you not in the known, aestivation is basically the polar opposite of hibernation; going into a semi-dormant or dormant state to escape extremes of hot weather.

We suggested that the seemingly insoluble problem of the creature being reported with two tails could perhaps be indicative of it not being a cayman at all, but being some kind of huge salamander. When the tails of salamanders and newts have been injured, they sometimes grow back double. But then again, so do those of some lizards, so for the moment this must remain an enigma. However, it is an enigma which we hope will not stay that way for long. Richard and the team are going back to see Ernest this evening for dinner and we hope that they will be able to get some more information from him.

Frozen alligators

Its a week since the croc was seen. Is it dead? Quite possibly but there is at least one species which could survive a Welsh spring the famous American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) my research has revealed. The alligator is found mainly in the Southern part of North America they range from the coastal border of North Carolina and Virginia, south to Florida and west to east Texas:

American alligators hibernate during the winter in burrows (or "dens") that they construct, but may occasionally emerge during brief spells of warmer weather.
Alligators do not feed during the cooler months. Studies in captivity have shown that alligators generally begin to lose their appetite below 27°C (80°F), and stop feeding altogether below 23°C (73°F). They can easily last the winter on their energy reserves.
Adult alligators can survive freezing conditions if they are in water. They submerge their body but keep their nostrils projecting above the water surface, so that when the surface freezes they can still breathe (called the "icing response"). Essentially their upper body becomes trapped in the ice. However, occasionally alligators may be trapped completely below ice, and have been known to survive for over 8 hours without taking a breath, because the freezing water slows their metabolic rate down to very low levels. Yet another example of their amazing ability to survive. Crocodilian Species - American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

Another discussion at from the Everglades National Park factsheet:

"Alligators are cold-blooded, which means that their body temperatures fluctuate in response to the temperature of their surroundings. An advantage of being cold-blooded is that little energy needs to be spent in maintaining a high body temperature, and therefore less food is needed. A healthy alligator can go many months without food. Alligators can survive in water temperatures as cold as 36°F (2°C) and as warm as 98°F (38°C), however they function best within a relatively narrow range of temperatures." Formerly www.nps.gov/ever/eco/gator.htm

As for Caimans little info seems to be available.

Hunting the Croc at Night

Here are the photos from last nights expedition. The plan was discussed here Old Red Eyes - Croc Hunting at Night. As dusk fell and darkness grew across the land we prepared to see if the croc, which is a mostly nocturnal animal would emerge. At the start looking round the lake in the gloaming I noted there were loads of footprints from monster hunters so I think the area round the lake has been very well covered since the publicity had started. I also talked to a friendly guy who had brought his two kids to look for the croc.



I wandered around in reed beds in the dark and checked likely places nearby for croc using a torch to check for eye shine. The street lamps illuminated the lake well so if he was there it would be easy to spot him.

Man Thing Copyright Marvel Comics
Not seen in Swansea yet!

There was no sign of the croc but it increasingly felt like Blair Witch or Man/Swamp Thing country as we blundered around in the dark through muddy areas and reeds. Not exactly the Florida keys but at least it wasn't raining and there was also a lack of midges buzzing us. In ancient welsh lore such areas are good ones to see ellylldan or canwll corfe "corpse candles" [Elf-fire, willow the wisps or Jack O'Lanterns are some of the English names] widely associated with the supernatural and ill omens but now generally seen as swamp gas. They also were seen in graveyards and other places too so it is a little more complex than that.




Discoveries included a pipe which I guess may be part of the old workings as there were quarries, mines and industry in this area. It was about 100m from the water and was an ideal hiding place but we decided crawling down there after a croc was a bad idea!



Then we found the rustling bramble bush which clearly had an animal in. Fancy plunging a hand in to see what it is? I think not. Didn't seem to be a croc shaped way in so we left it alone.


Also some idiots had chucked another trolley in the water and tore down the life belts. Very clever.

We also almost got run down by a 4 by 4 which zoomed past us. I think someone may have been shining headights onto water looking for the croc. Good tactic often used by crocodile hunters. But the croc I suspect is not in the water. If it is still alive it may have gone into hibernation till the weather improves. The problem is with a pine forest 5m or so from the waters edge on the north side, the reedbeds and vegetation to the east and Kilvey hill on the south with tons of bushes and trees there are tons of places for an animal to hide.

I don't think we are finding anything soon to be honest. But who knows.

Pluck Lake is 1km away directly from a far larger body of water Fendrod Lake which lies to the North-east and has more fish and bird life . Although the direct root takes you through a built up area a more roundabout way goes through the nature reserve then only 300 odd m from the lake. But it looks like you would have to go through a railway line. Or there maybe underground tunnels between Fendrod and Pluck Lake so I have been told! More about these in a future posts.

Perhaps a more likely destination is that you can after crossing the road travel through woodland to reach the Tawe. This is only 650m from the lake. So the croc maybe long gone!

That is if it fancies moving long distances which I doubt.

Swansea Crocodile latest news report

Big Article on Croc in Swansea Evening Post yesterday on page 3.

No snap decision, there's a croc!

'Steve, aged 49, said: "I was out on Sunday morning walking the dog out at the lake and was walking around the lake when I saw something moving in the water.

"It was like a millpond, as still as anything.

"I thought it was a log.

"But there were ripples coming from around it. I thought it could be a fish. As I was just four metres out, I thought I must be seeing things.

"I shouted to the dog, and it (the reptile) turned away and dived back down and into the water. It was either a crocodile or an alligator.

"It was about a metre long."

"I am 100 per cent positive."

Steve, of Oakwood, Pontrhydyfen, Port Talbot, said: "I went straight home and told my partner and she said 'you better report it to the police because youngsters go swimming there in the summer'." Steve is convinced it was an alligator he saw, adding that he had seen them before in Florida. "I think somebody must have had it as a pet," he added.

"I was watching a television programme a few years ago, and it said people buy these monkeys and crocs and once they get a bit too big for the bath they let them go.

"That's the only way I can think how it got there."

Swansea resident Gwilym Games, a member of the Centre for Fortean Zoology, said crocodile reports were quite common.

He said: "There have been quite a few reports of crocodiles in different lakes in the UK."

More at the article Read this article

Swansea Tourism once again express their hope that this will rival Loch Ness :)

Interesting to note the RSPCA has noted some nasty abuse of animals in South Wales recently:

RSPCA CALLS FOR END TO ATTACKS

Evening Post 09:00 - 03 May 2008

The Rspca is calling for an end to airgun abuse of animals in South Wales, following a spate of attacks. Two cats, a bird and a horse were shot with airgun pellets during March and April. The bird and one of the cats had to be put to sleep as a result of their injuries.RSPCA chief inspector Elaine Spence said: "Mindless airgun attacks on pets and wildlife are a serious problem. These incidents only provide a snapshot of the issue, and many more animals are suffering needless pain and death. Sadly, not all incidents are reported to us or witnessed."

The charity is appealing for the public to report any incidents to the police, and asks parents not to buy their child a gun unless they are going to supervise them at all times.

Old Red Eyes - Croc Hunting at Night in Swansea

Earlier this evening we went croc hunting. Why at night? Well thats one of the best time to look according to experts. Most crocs are nocturnal hunters and as Crocs eyes strongly reflect light, even from a distance, anyone searching for crocs finds that using lights to scan the water for their eye-shine is the best way to spot them at night allowing you to see their glowing red eyes. This eye-shine comes from a special crystal layer at the back of their eye called the "tapetum lucidum" which reflects light. Crocodiles have excellent night vision as a result of this layer.

Did we find the croc? No but we do have some interesting photos. To be honest the search was a long shot I think from what I have discovered it is either dead or has hidden itself very well and won't be moving until the temperature gets into the 20s. More results from the search to come.

By the way I have noted famed cryptozoologist and CFZ member Nick Redfern has noted us on his blog thanks to Siani. See here: A Welsh Crocodile

Latest and More media coverage

Swarms of croc hunters were at the lake yesterday. I have heard from someone who was there but no new signs have been found as far as I know.

If the Caiman has died in the water it will float belly up. It may be in undergrowth somewhere.

From BBC News: Another interview with Steve.

Stephen Jenkins, from Pontrhydyfen, said: "I was walking my dog and me being a
fisherman and being nosy near water - I was having a look and I could see
something moving in the water.
"I thought at first it was a fish or
something or a log - but there was no wind or anything.
"But I could see the
ripples coming off this. I had a closer look and it was about four metres from
me."
Mr Jenkins said: "I could see the legs and the nose and the tail and
everything.
"It just swam down into the deep end, it's eyes were just on top
of the water as it was moving the eyes were coming towards me."

Crocodile sighting in city lake BBC News

Couple more brief news bits.
Unlikely crocodile hunt in WalesMetro, A crocodile hunt was launched in Wales yesterday after one 'was seen in a pond'. The 1m (3ft) beast was spotted by Steve Jenkins.

Croc spotted in Swansea Ananova

Identification of the Swansea Crocodile? - Part 2

Taken yesterday while talking with Steve.

See this earlier post:
Important - Croc identified? Part I


A wet Day in Swansea at Pluck lake looking east



Looking towards the west end where croc was seen.



The dog whose walk caused Croc panic.



Steve throws a stone to show where croc was first sighted.


Steve points out where Croc moved towards white van roof.


Steve Jenkins


A photo taken from bank showing the white van roof which croc swam over. This was not taken from where Steve was standing which was about 4m away but was taken closer directly beside it and it shows how the van lid would outline something swimming over it on a calm day as on Sunday.

Igauna in Mumbles!! Milk Snake in Townhill!!! Pythons in Birchgrove !!

Found an old news report from 13 Jun 2007. An Iguana on the loose. Could it be that someone is leaving a trail of exotic pets in the Swansea area?

BBC NEWS Wales South West Wales Iguana fright as man cuts hedge

13 Jun 2007

Experts say iguanas would not survive a British winter outdoors

A gardener has told of his shock at coming face to face with an iguana as he trimmed his hedge.

The 18in (46cm) reptile is now being cared for by an expert after Bryan Harris called the RSPCA to his home in Mumbles, Swansea.

Attempts are being made to trace the lizard's owner and to find out how it came to be on the loose.

Iguanas can grow more than 5ft long (1.5m) and RSPCA inspector Neil Manley said they do not make very good pets.

He said: "The man said he was cutting the hedge when he suddenly saw this great big lizard sat on it. [Read more at site]

Besides the Iguana an escaped Milk Snake made headlines in 2006.

BBC NEWS Milk snake hiding in Shop's door

19 April 2006- An escaped snake caused mayhem at a grocery store in Swansea when it became trapped within a metal door.

The non-venomous snake was striking out at customers at the Costcutter in the city's Townhill area over the weekend.

A local snake expert and his wife had to be called to extricate the 3.5ft milk snake.

Geraint "the Snakeman" Hopkins and his wife Yolande had to remove the letterbox to recover the snake, which later died from injury and illness. [Read more at site]

Vaireties of Milk Snake are found all over America and are popular pets.

Pythons stolen from garden shed
09 Feb 2006

Police are hunting thieves who have taken 22 young python snakes from a reptile breeder's garden shed. The snakes, described as "gentle" and no threat to people, were grabbed from a house in Birchgrove, Swansea. The royal or ball pythons, measuring 18in to 2ft (45-60cm) in length, were kept in 14 boxes with lockable lids. [Read more at site]

There are in Swansea like all over the UK a large number of reptile fanciers. You can judge some of the extent of this hobby from these adverts:

Reptiles For Sale around Swansea + 30 miles - Lycos Classifieds

Of course the vast majority of exotic pet owners are responsible people, who care for their animals and this respectable side is typified by Exotic Pets Magazine, but there are some rogue people out there keeping animals illegally in bad conditions. The RSPCA is calling for tighter controls on the sale and ownership of dangerous wild animals as you can see here: Exotic animals

There have been a number of Big Cat sightings in the Swansea area especially round Margam. One of the latest is here:

I Came Face to Face With a Big Cat in Swansea Valley South Wales Evening Post: 29th June 2007

Expert on Swansea Wildlife mentions croc

Professor P.Brain "This blog is intended to raise awareness of natural history events in the Swansea (South Wales) area" -

Crocodile Tears

Comments on Story

Weeding out the nonsense there are some useful comments on this story from the Swansea Evening Post's original story.

just a few mounths ago there was a report of a otter in there so it was probelt the same one there
callum semmens 14, Neath

i am a little 15 year old boy i go fishing down the pluck i have never seen the crock and i am always down there so if it is there leave it alone please ffffffiiiisssshhh
liam robins, swansea

I think it could well have been a mink or an otter, both are around 1m long and have a swimming profile that could be mistaken for a crocodile from a distance
John, Swansea

It could be the pluck ness monster, in past summers you would be lucky to reel in a small tench from the pluck, normally it's just sprats like roach , rud and perch however I have seen some big things come out of the Pluck over ther years, namely cars and trollies however this monster would be a welcome catch on the worm...
Scooter, Winch Wen Swansea

I have worked with reptiles in two zoos (Twycross and Tropiquaria) and have a soecial intrest in crocodillians. I have also nvestigated several cases of 'caimans' being seen in the midlands and i Cornwall. Nothing was ever found. A crocodillian could live in the UK during a warm summer but wopuld swiftly die come winter. It is possable people are mistaking a large sturgeon. Having said that several species of crocodillian have been caught in the uk over the years including Nile crocodile and specticaled caiman
Richard Freeman, Devon

I worked at a large Reptile House for several years, and both calls and rescues involving crocodilians were fairly common. Unfortunately, when people get hold of these animals (usually illegally) as pets, they often get released into the wild when they become too much to look after, to avoid alerting the authorities. The best way to check would be to visit the lake at night, and with a torch held at eye level, scan the lake margins - if you see any pink or white eyeshine (like catseyes) then it is likely to be true!
Dr James Reed, Yeovil

Approximately 2 years whilst walking my dog along the cycle path by the new bridge, opposite Ford's Plasmarl, I Saw a man staring in disbelief in the water, and as I looked myself I saw a tail disappearing into the water. This looked very much like a crocodile tail, which I commented, did you see that, and the man said people would not believe us if we told them, and walked off. So this has not been the first time, as also my wife and myself on another occasion with the dog saw what looked like a log in the water, but it slowly went down, out of sight, and we felt quite spooked. We believe quite strongly there is a crocodile there, and this should be taken far more seriously by the authorities than it is at present. We also do not want our e mail address printed as we would leave ourselves wide open to prank calls jamming up our e mails, but print the letter by all means.
Concerned dog walker, Swansea

Watch your ankles - a crocodile could be lurking in a Swansea lake

Swansea Evening Post April 28th 2008

Welsh shock - What a croc! in today's The Sun

Welsh shock - What a croc! The Sun

Steve Jenkins ... croc spotter

FEROCIOUS crocodile is thought to be at large in a murky lake — in WALES.

Startled Steve Jenkins, 38, is convinced he spotted the 3ft-long beast as he walked his dog alongside the water.

'You sure it wasn't a dragon, boyo' ... locals tease

He told cops he saw the croc lurking in the shallows of the rubbish-strewn lake by a Morrisons store in Swansea — but couldn’t get a snap.

I did not say it could be 10 foot long!!! I said it could reach 7 feet and this one was 3 foot long.

BBC Radio on the Croc

BBC Radio Wales Richard Evans
Wens 30 April 2008 12.00

BBC - Wales - Radio Wales - Richard Evans

Interview with Steve Jenkins and me starts around 48 mins in. I sound ridiculous well I think so :)


You can download the file here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?gamxd4yx5ir