Crocodile spotted off the coast of Bonaire, popular beach closed
Last Wednesday, an unusual spectacle took place off the coast of Bonaire when a crocodile was spotted. A father and his son spotted the crocodile in a bay in the shallow water near Sorobon beach. The father then contacted the authorities, NOS reports.
The governor of Bonaire, John Soliano, tried to calm worried residents at a press conference and announced that experts are in the process of catching the crocodile. In the meantime, the area where the reptile was spotted has been closed to the public.
Sorobon beach is a popular place for tourists and residents to swim and windsurf. Crocodiles are not normally found near the island. The beach was immediately closed to tourists when the authorities were alerted about the crocodile.
According to NOS and local media, experts have been trying to find and capture the crocodile with the help of boats and drones since last week. They are also receiving support in their search from reptile expert Tim van Wagersveld from Rotterdam.
It is still unclear how long the search will take. According to van Wagersveld, it can take up to several weeks before they can successfully catch the crocodile. “It could take days or weeks. And then we have to catch him, with a net or lassos,” the reptile expert tells NOS.
