Siamese crocodile caught in Yeoju stream, exposing exotic pet risks

A crocodile is captured from a stream in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, in this photo provided by the Gyeonggi-do Fire Services. Yonhap

A crocodile caught in a stream in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, has been identified as a Siamese crocodile, reviving concerns over abandoned exotic pets threatening Korea's ecosystem.

The city of Yeoju said Tuesday that an analysis by the National Institute of Biological Resources confirmed the animal as a Siamese crocodile. It is listed as a Class 1 internationally endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

The crocodile, measuring 50 centimeters, was captured Saturday after the fire department received a report of what appeared to be a pet crocodile. It is now being temporarily housed at a privately run animal protection center under the city's care.

Adult Siamese crocodiles typically grow 2 to 3 meters long and inhabit rivers and swamps across Southeast Asia. Poaching and habitat destruction have driven down their population, prompting international restrictions on commercial trade in the species.

Yeoju initially planned to post a notice and search for the owner over a 10-day period, but is now reportedly weighing how to handle the animal given its confirmed status. Since Siamese crocodiles are subject to strict import and rearing restrictions and abandoning or illegally trading one carries criminal penalties, it remains unclear whether any owner will come forward. If no one does, the crocodile is likely to be transferred to the National Institute of Ecology in Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province.

Illegal possession of the species has led to prison sentences before. In 2016, a social media personality was sentenced to four months in prison for violating the Wildlife Protection and Management Act after keeping a Siamese crocodile at home for eight years and feeding it rabbits and other animals.

The crocodile is the latest in a line of foreign animals believed to have been kept as pets and later abandoned in Korea's rivers and streams, disrupting its ecosystem.

Among the most widely cited cases is the red-eared slider, imported as a pet since the late 1970s and released into ponds, lakes and streams nationwide. The omnivorous turtle preys indiscriminately on native fish such as loach, minnows and crucian carp, prompting local governments to launch eradication campaigns.

The Ministry of Environment has also expanded its list of invasive species in recent years, adding the alligator snapping turtle and the Florida red-bellied turtle in 2020, and the common snapping turtle in 2022, all mainly native to North America.

An invasive species is defined as an organism that disrupts or poses a significant risk of disrupting ecological balance, requiring population control, removal or management.

Species with that designation cannot be imported, bred, transferred, stored, transported or released, and violators face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won ($13,500).