In Thailand, floods are threatening temples, with a 27-year-old crocodile weighing over 400 kilograms being relocated from a temple in Prachinburi province over the weekend. Concerns arose that the crocodile, named Nuea Thong, might take advantage of the floodwaters to escape into the nearby Prachin Buri River.
Recent heavy rains and flooding in Thailand have reached the Wat Pho Thong area of Prachinburi province, where floodwaters have risen to a depth of 1.3 meters, submerging the crocodile pond at the temple. Local residents and temple monks were worried that the crocodile kept in the temple might escape into the neighboring river, prompting its relocation last Sunday, on September 27.
The 27-year-old Nuea Thong measures over 4 meters in length and weighs more than 400 kilograms. To ensure its safe transfer, workers used ropes to secure its legs, mouth, and front legs before using a crane to move it out of the temple’s breeding pond area and onto a vehicle. The crocodile was then transported to another town about 20 kilometers away where it will be temporarily housed, as that area has not been affected by the floods.