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A 35-year-old woman was arrested after police officers seized approximately 100 reptiles -- some of which are endangered species -- in a residential unit in Sham Shui Po on Thursday.
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This came after residents in the busy district were shocked when an approximately 1.5-meter-long Siamese crocodile suddenly appeared on a first-floor balcony on 54 Tai Po Road last night.
The reptile is believed to have fallen from a higher floor. After tracking down the crocodile’s owner, the arrestee, surname Chung, was apprehended in a unit of the same building today.
Authorities are investigating the crocodile’s origin. Both the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) issued stern warnings as private ownership of such dangerous wild animals is not only extremely hazardous but may also be illegal. Even juveniles can pose serious threats to humans and other animals as they mature.
A resident living in Sham Shui Po, surnamed Cheng, expressed strong concerns and criticized that owning a crocodile is risky even for the owner, noting, “Once it grows bigger, it has lethal power.”
