Big-ass crocodile spotted gliding in waters near Causeway

Christopher Peh was caught in a bit of a jam on the Causeway towards Johor Bahru in his friend's car on Dec. 18, 2024, at about 3:20pm, when he spotted something in the waters near the bridge.

It appeared at first glance to be "a long dark wooden floating object at the sea".

Peh and his friend then saw the object begin to move a little and realised that it was, in fact, a crocodile.

Peh, surprised to see a crocodile here, rolled down the car window to take a video of the cruising reptile:

"Although we know that Kranji has crocodiles, we were surprised to see a large 2-2.5m (we guess) crocodile there", Peh told Mothership.

Peh also shared the rough location of where the crocodile was spotted via an Apple Maps screenshot. The crocodile's location is marked with a green "X":

Estuarine crocodile

Only one species of crocodile inhabits Singapore's waters — the estuarine crocodile, also known as the saltwater crocodile.

Estuarine crocodiles are native to Singapore and listed locally as "Critically Endangered", according to the Singapore Red Data Book.

The estuarine crocodile is one of the largest crocodile species in the world and can grow to more than 5m in length.

Because they are cold-blooded, they rely on external sources of heat like the sun to warm up.

While their range has been mostly limited to Sungei Buloh, they have been spotted in other parts of Singapore like East Coast Park, off Pasir Ris beach, and West Coast Park.

One individual was also caught at Lower Seletar Reservoir, of which Yishun Dam is a part.

What to do if you see a crocodile

Members of the public are reminded to take their own safety precautions when engaging in open water activities.

Warning signs and advisory notices have been posted at areas where these animals are most often seen, such as Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Exclusion measures, such as fences, have been implemented where necessary to ensure visitor safety.

According to NParks, members of the public should stay calm and back away slowly if you encounter a crocodile.

NParks advises members of the public not to approach, provoke, or feed the animal.

If you come across a crocodile in an unlikely place, you can call NParks on 1800-471-7300.

Top photo from Christopher Peh.