Mystery croc turns up in Greek lake in Crete

FORGET Nessie, Greek farmers have their own mystery lake creature - a two-metre-long crocodile clearly far from home. But how did it get there?

Supplied Editorial 10072014Croc

GREEK farmers are concerns about an almost two-metre-long crocodile which has appeared in a man-made lake in Crete.

Crocodiles are not native to Greece so how it ended up there is anyone’s guess but video footage by an unmanned drone has left no shadow of a doubt that it exists.

“The locals are very upset because they are in danger. There are farm lands and properties nearby and people are in danger, they are afraid,” local man Nikistratos Charokopou told APTN, according to The Independent. “There are rivers from which people draw water to irrigate their fields, and they are afraid to visit their land.”

However some are already trying to capitalise on the mysterious croc, with a number of souvenir shops in the area selling inflatable crocodiles.

Regional official Vangelis Mamangakis said he believed that the crocodile was probably someone’s pet that grew too big and was dumped.

He said efforts will be made to capture the crocodile and remove it from the lake.

Too late, we saw you ... The crocodile dives down under the water.