In Sicily, Drones and Authorities on Alert After Crocodile Sighting  

Beware of the crocodile...

The Forest Brigade, a unit of the Carabinieri, is now employing drones in the hunt for a large reptile recently spotted by a resident of San Giovanni Gemini, a small mountainous town in the province of Agrigento, Sicily. The creature was sighted in a relatively isolated and hard-to-reach area of the municipality. This search operation complements the ongoing investigations by military personnel, aimed at determining whether the large animal, consistently described as "resembling a crocodile," could have escaped from a circus or been released by a private collector of exotic animals.

Mayor Dino Zimbardo has issued a municipal ordinance, 59/2023, which establishes "an absolute ban on approaching the banks of the Mancuso stream," the area where the animal was reportedly seen. Moreover, it is prohibited "to feed, hunt and/or capture the specimen, as it is a protected species." However, the specific species is not specified. The mayor urges citizens to cooperate and alert the competent authorities, such as the Carabinieri and the Forest Brigade, in case of a sighting.

"We did this to prevent any possible risk," explains Zimbardo. "The search operations continue, but they are not straightforward, especially because the stream is quite deep and located in a fairly rugged area."

The announcement of the alleged crocodile sighting has generated concern and alarm within the local community. The mayor himself recently urged citizens to exercise particular caution, move with care, and avoid the area where the reptile was reported. He stated, "An individual reported the presence of an animal resembling a crocodile to the Health Authority. The Healthcare Agency immediately notified me. The person who made the report is quite reliable and also happens to be a hunter."