The ancient Thai city of Ayutthaya,
which has seen its temple engulfed in the kingdom's flood crisis, has
discovered a new menace lurking in the floodwaters -- crocodiles.
Around 100 reptiles are thought to be on the loose after
escaping from farms in the area and authorities have issued a 1,000 baht ($33)
bounty for each crocodile caught alive, said Public Health Minister Vitthaya
Buranasiri.
"The crocodiles need to be captured to keep people
safe," he told AFP.
The creatures have been spotted in several areas of the
former Thai capital, a World Heritage site and major tourist attraction.
Thailand's worst floods in decades have inundated huge
swathes of the kingdom, swallowing homes and businesses, shutting down
industry, and forcing tens of thousands of people to seek refuge in shelters.
About 300 people have died in the disaster, although there have
been no known incidents of animal-related deaths resulting from the flooding.
The natural resource ministry has dedicated a hotline for
people wanting to report wild animals on the loose in flooded areas.
"We are now coordinating with the fishery department for
a hotline about any loose animals in the flood areas, whether it is tigers,
snakes or crocodiles," said an official, who said the department has
received "many phone calls".
The ministry said government agencies have been dispatched to
catch the creatures, but was unable to disclose how many had been caught. The
hotline number inside Thailand is 1362.
Source : AFP
No comments:
Post a Comment