Four crocodiles escape park's dilapidated cages

Le Quang Nghia, director of the An Hoa Park in Rach Gia, said on Friday 44 crocodiles live in the park's pond. Three days prior, four of them escaped from their cages. Guards of the park later managed to recapture one, while another crocodile was found by locals.

"We have deployed forces to find the other two crocodiles," Nghia said, adding that the crocodiles have been tamed for years, so part of their wild nature has already been gone, meaning they are quite afraid of humans. Their cages have also been reinforced, and danger signs have also been erected, he added.

Nghia said there are few visitors coming to the zoo after Covid-19, resulting in low budgets and degraded cages that have not been fixed. The park is expected to stop raising the crocodiles, handing them over to authorities.

The Kien Giang forest protection department has also deployed personnel to capture the animals, and people have been told to report to authorities if they ever find them.

The department has requested the park to temporarily suspend entertainment activities around the pond and bushes, where the crocodiles might be hiding. The park's pond spans 7 ha and is around 5 m deep. A corner of the pond is used to raise crocodiles, and surrounding it are several beverage stalls. The entire park spans 39 ha, and is considered to be the "green lung" of Rach Gia City.

The park used to be a popular destination for people, especially children. However, several of the park’s infrastructures have been degraded, while a renovation project would cost VND150 billion ($6.13 million), making it difficult to find investors.