In an ideal world man and animals could co-exist in peaceful harmony but in the real world and in Belize City's sprawl of development into swampy areas, that dream is an illusion. Last night, residents at the far end of Neal's Penn Road where there are still some swampy areas that are yet to be reclaimed had an encounter with the former tenant of the area, an 8-foot crock.
Area Resident,
"He came from back of the fence and onto the street. The little boy over there in that yellow shirt, you could see him there, along with my boy ended up chase this thing. It reached way over there and when it reached there, by the bicycle frame right there, they belted it in the head. They managed to tie it with that rope and that is how come it ended up here right now. It was here from last night."
Alfonso Noble,
Why did they tie it up?
Area Resident,
"Because it could eat anybody, from this little one down here it could eat in one big swallow; one big swallow and that is it right there."
Alfonso Noble,
So are you afraid of the crocodile?
Area Resident,
"Of course because if it grabbed me I don't know what I would have done."
Residents say they do not know what will be done with the crocodile but they will not release it because of the danger it poses to children and pets in the area.
