IN): Runaway crocodiles provide food for flood striken Vietnamese

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Link: http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1133013

 

*Runaway crocodiles provide food for flood striken Vietnamese

 

* DPA

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 19:16 IST

 

 

HANOI: As soldiers and provincial officials hunted for hundreds of

crocodiles that escaped a flooded farm in central Vietnam, human victims of

the floods have turned to the giant reptiles for food, an official said.

 

At least four of the runaway crocodiles -- which weigh up to 200 kg -- have

been captured and butchered by flood victims for meat since the weekend,

according to Duy Quang, an official of the provincial flood and storm

control department.

 

Three more crocodiles were killed and sold for meat, he said.

 

So far, there have been no reports of attacks on humans by the crocodiles,

which escaped from a farm in Khanh Hoa, when rising floodwaters washed them

over their enclosures.

 

" We have put out alerts to local people about being careful when they go to

streams and rivers, " Quang said.

 

Local militias and soldiers have been enlisted in a mass crocodile hunt in

the province, 400 km north of Ho Chi Minh City.

Of the hundreds of crocs that escaped, about 67 were accounted for by

Tuesday, said Quang, who said 52 had been captured and turned over to

authorities, eight shot and the rest captured and slaughtered for meat.

 

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