'Pluck Ness Monster' in Expert Probe
A Crocodile expert has been to investigate claims of a sighting of a metre-long reptile at a Swansea lake.
Police and RSPCA officers were at Pluck Lake, opposite Morrisons in Morfa on Sunday, after receiving a report of a crocodile there.
The sighting has sparked the interest of Gwilym Games, a member of the Centre for Fortean Zoology.
The group specialises in reports of strange and unusual animals around the globe, and a crocodile out of its natural habitat in a Swansea pond fits the bill perfectly.
Mr Games said: "I went down to the locality to see what I could find out.
"There have been quite a few reports of these crocodiles in different lakes in the UK.
"Nobody has ever found these crocodiles, but, because of the number found illegally, it is not impossible.
"Looking at the lake, there are a number of reed beds.
"Most of the crocodiles kept as pets are caimans, which are nocturnal animals."
The chances of the croc surviving could be hit by a cold snap, according to Mr Games.
"If it is cold, they will go under the mud and stay down there in semi-hibernation.
"If one has gone down, it could be just sitting there.
"It's going to be difficult to capture because it is nocturnal, and I suspect that unless the weather improves it will die, because they are used to a tropical climate."
He said there were various reports of people looking after Caimen.
"People dump dogs and if they have Caimen, which start small and grow to up to five feet, it is definitely not impossible you will find them in there."
The caller who raised the alert at around noon on Sunday was certain the creature was a crocodile, and said it was about one metre long.
"We went down and had a look. It is cold, and if it was a genuine call it could be an escaped pet - it's not beyond the bounds of imagination."
He said experts had told them that if a crocodile or alligator was out in the current temperatures, it could be lurking under the water.
He added: "It's best not to go swimming."
South Wales Evening Post: 30th April 2008
