You may have heard of the crocodile in the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, seen here frolicking with the local otters. But residents of Sembawang take note, another of these scaly beasts has been spotted in your neighbourhood too.

In June 2017, someone named Walter sent a photo of a crocodile to website Singapore Uncensored, claiming that it was basking on the bank of Sungei Sembawang at Blk 469B.

MP Lim Wee Kiak raised the issue in Parliament on August 1, asking if the sightings were verified and whether there were plans in place to deal with the reptiles. In a written reply, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said that:

"PUB was first alerted to a crocodile sighting in Sungei Sembawang, on 10 March 2017. Follow-up inspections at the reported location were conducted together with AVA to confirm the sightings. However, during the joint-inspections, AVA and PUB did not spot any crocodile in the area."

However, he added:

"Currently, the crocodile has stayed within the waterway. Nevertheless, we are monitoring the situation with AVA and we will take steps to trap and relocate it, should the reptile venture outside its inland habitat."

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To recap:

• Someone saw a crocodile at Sungei Sembawang.
• AVA and PUB could not find the crocodile.
• But they think it's still in the waterway.
• If the crocodile gets bored and wants to come out, AVA plans to trap and relocate it.

It's a shame the OG Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin isn't around any more to lend a hand. Maybe his daughter Bindi could carry on the family legacy if AVA needs help.

Meanwhile, PUB is installing wire mesh at the lower rungs of the railings where the crocodile was seen to act as an additional barrier between it and tasty humans.

If you're on safari in Sembawang and happen to see the crocodile, please remember that you should not approach, provoke, or feed the animal.

You wouldn't want to end up as a snack for Sembawang's hungriest resident.

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Top image via Angelo_Giordano on Pixabay