The torrential rains in Jamaica on Sunday (October 25) didn’t stop Hope Zoo curator, Joey Brown, from going out on a rescue mission to recover two crocodiles in Bull Bay, St Andrew.
While it is unclear how Brown, learned that the crocodiles were in distress, the curator revealed that with the help of officers from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), the two crocodiles, which were said to have been found wandering on a beach, were located .
Brown in a tweet revealed that the crocodiles were captured by individuals along the beach, one of whom he notes was bitten in the process.
According to Brown the beach is where crocodiles belong, suggesting that it was their natural habitat and that individuals should not try to capture them, but instead should leave them be.
#Jamaica-This is 1 of the #crocodiles we rescued 2day. There was NO reason 4 people to catch dis croc (& get bit n the process). It was on the beach (where it belongs) wanting nothing 2 do w/ people. Leave them alone, and they leave you alone. Call @nepajamaica if u have concerns pic.twitter.com/bU5I28i31f
— Joey Brown (@IamJoeyBrown) October 26, 2020
While Brown’s comments stirred a bit of controversy online, with many Jamaicans taking issues with the curator’s characterization of the beach as where crocodiles belong, others where just happy that the reptiles were taken to a different environment.
Brown revealed that he received police escort as he transported the reptiles through Harbour View back to the Hope Zoo.
Police escort through flooded Harbor View as we relocate 2 #crocodiles rescued in Bull Bay. If only those cars knew there’s an 8 ft crocodile in the back of that #police truck? We also have a 3 ft Croc in the back of our car???#Kingston@nepajamaica @HopeZooKingston pic.twitter.com/Wga9ooqjkB
— Joey Brown (@IamJoeyBrown) October 25, 2020
Estimates suggest that each year hundreds of people die from crocodile attacks, particularly in Africa, many of these attacks are never reported in the media.
Since 2018, there have been at least three well publicised incidents in which crocodiles have attacked humans.
In the summer of 2018, a Indonesian man was reportedly killed by a saltwater crocodile in a breeding farm. In retaliation, locals slaughtered 292 crocodiles.
In early 2019, a scientist was eaten alive by a crocodile after falling into an enclosure at a research facility in North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
