Crete crocodile to be relocated to tropical climes

A 2-meter-long crocodile whose presence has puzzled authorities and experts on the southern Aegean island of Crete will be captured and relocated, local authorities in the region of Rethymno decided on Tuesday.

The reptile was spotted by a fire patrol close to the Potami Dam on the Amari plain over the weekend.

A team of experts is expected to launch a search for the crocodile on Thursday with the aim of transporting it to a tropical location. Further details were not released.

Meanwhile local authorities have banned swimming and fenced off the area where the crocodile was sighted.

It is not clear where the reptile comes from or how it ended up in the lake.