Both killed and electrocuted were reported, and the Maoming Agriculture and Rural Bureau responded with "over 70 crocodiles fleeing": some have been recaptured
On September 11th, it was rumored online that more than 70 crocodiles had fled from a crocodile farm near Pengcun Lake in Maonan District, Maoming City, Guangdong Province, sparking attention.
On the morning of the 12th, the Upstream News reporter learned from the Agriculture and Rural Bureau of Maoming City that a portion of the crocodiles have been captured, including those killed and those electrocuted. The rest of the crocodiles are currently being captured, and "the specific capture work is being handled by the Emergency Management Bureau, Fire Department, Public Security, and Town Government."
Captured crocodiles. Image source/network
The staff of the Agriculture and Rural Bureau mentioned above stated that the escaped crocodiles are owned by a local breeding farm, and the specific names and number of escaped crocodiles are not very clear. On the afternoon of the 12th, Upstream News reporters repeatedly called the emergency management departments at the two levels of Maonan District in Maoming City, as well as the Zhensheng Town Government and police station. The staff stated that they were not aware of the situation and were waiting for official notification.
According to previous media reports, on September 11th, several crocodiles escaped from a breeding farm near Pengcun Lake in Zhensheng Town, Maonan District, Guangdong Province. After the crocodile escaped, many local netizens posted that they had received a notice that crocodiles had appeared on the road around the lake in Pengcun Pond, which was a crocodile that had escaped from a nearby breeding farm. Village representatives were requested to inform nearby villagers to stay away from the water surface, prohibit fishing in the water, and report any special circumstances in a timely manner.
Captured crocodiles. Image source/network
On the evening of the 11th, the Emergency Management Bureau of Maonan District responded to media reports that according to statistics, 69 adult crocodiles and 6 juvenile crocodiles have escaped, all of which are currently in the lake of Pengcun Pond. Emergency, public security, and fire departments in Maonan District have all rushed to the scene for disposal. "At present, it is under control, but there is a relatively high number of crocodiles running out. Nearby residents have been reminded to pay attention to safety and not to go out."
According to the Zhejiang Urban Express, firefighters from the Gaoliang Forest Fire Brigade in Gaozhou City, who participated in the on-site arrest, said that as of around 9 pm last night, the local area had used sonar equipment to search for 8 crocodiles and successfully caught them. Among the 8 crocodiles, there are 7 adult crocodiles and 1 juvenile crocodile. Adult crocodiles generally weigh around 150 pounds and have a length of over 2 meters. "Most of the crocodiles caught are treated as' killed '."
Local militia at the scene stated that crocodiles are currently in deep water and, due to safety requirements, these escaping crocodiles are about to be killed. Multiple relevant personnel from various departments have been stationed on site to ensure the safety of residents.
