Crocodile caught in Padma River finds new home in Gazipur Safari Park

The reptile’s frequent appearances alarm local residents in Harirampur

The crocodile caught in a branch of the Padma River is being taken to Gazipur Safari Park after being handed over to the Wildlife Crime Control Unit of the Department of Forest.

Harirampur Upazila Forest officer Md Shariful Islam said the handover took place around 2pm on Saturday.

The crocodile, which had been seen multiple times in recent weeks in Harirampur Upazila, was finally captured by locals around 8:30pm on Friday at Choukighata in Hatipara Union under Sadar Upazila.

Forest officer Shariful confirmed that the animal was handed over to the department later in the afternoon.

Locals said many residents had avoided entering the river after repeated sightings of the crocodile over the past month.

Rathindra Nath Biswas, an official of the Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Department of the Forest Department, confirmed that the crocodile has been transferred to the Gazipur Safari Park.