Following the theft of a huge Nile crocodile valued at hundreds of dollars, three men have been detained. The 2.5 meter reptile, which is worth an estimated $1,300 (R 23 577,53) was allegedly stolen from a crocodile farm in the Hartbeesfontein region of the North West province.
According to the Associated Press (AP) the men, aged between 20-35 are thought to have taken the crocodile from a farm some 200 kilometers west of Johannesburg using a pickup vehicle.
The animal was discovered in an abandoned farmhouse, bound with rope and wire and covered with tree branches. On Monday, the guys who were detained last week were scheduled to appear in court.
Police were looking into how the large crocodile was taken out of the property, according to police spokeswoman Adele Myburgh.
Myburgh said the crocodile was badly dehydrated when it was found by a team of police officers and animal conservation officials.
The crocodile has been “returned to its rightful owner,” she said.
They released a photo of it swimming in its pool at the farm. While South Africa has a problem with poaching, crocodiles are not usually targeted because of how dangerous they can be.
“The motive was still under investigation but crocodile body parts such as the skin, nails and teeth do have value on the black market and those responsible might have been planning to kill the animal to sell those parts.” thenationalnews.com