A crocodile which weighs around 80 kilos and is nearly 2 metres long has been caught on Soai Rap River in the southern province of Long An.

Colonel Pham Thanh Tam, Head of Can Giuoc District's Police Department, said that the crocodile has fallen into the net this morning, May 2, after being hunted for nearly two weeks. This has been spotted on the water surface for many times recently, causing the public anxiety.

The crocodile on Soai Rap River caught

Tam said that at around 7:30 this morning, some local people detected the reptile at Tan Lap Port area and then informed the police. Right after that, the police spread nets around the the area and caught it after 30 minutes.

Chu Thi Hai, a local resident, said that over the past two weeks, many people who live near the river were very anxious for being attacked by the crocodile. Children were not allowed to come to along the river bank to avoid the risk. She guessed that the animal might have come to Soai Rap from another river, because there is no crocodile farm near the river.

Earlier on April 18, local residents found the reptile swimming in the river near Tan Tap Port.

Local authorities have proposed shooting it after police and fishermen failed to catch it with nets.

However, the provincial authorities rejected the proposal, saying that it is unnecessary, and ordered relevant agencies to catch it alive.