SINGAPORE – A crocodile that was spotted in the waters off Sentosa Cove on the evening of May 6 has been caught and put down.
The National Parks Board (NParks) said in a statement on May 7 that the reptile was trapped and removed by NParks contractors at about 9pm on May 6 off Sentosa Cove.
The approximately 2m-long crocodile was sedated and humanely put down, said NParks group director of wildlife management How Choon Beng.
He added that the decision was made in view of public safety and the lack of relocation options.
The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve – which currently houses a population of about 20 crocodiles – is not a suitable release site for the trapped crocodile, Mr How said, adding that NParks had previously relocated a small crocodile there in 2021.
Relocation also runs the risk of the reptile – an estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) – returning to where it was captured, posing public safety concerns, added Mr How.
NParks had checked with Mandai Wildlife Group, which could not take the crocodile into its collections, Mr How said.
Mandai Wildlife Group said in a statement on May 7 that decisions to accept any animal into its care are guided by its ability to meet the highest standards of welfare and quality of life.
It added that it also considers implications for its existing animal population and conservation commitments.
