From the ArcaMax Publishing, Weird News Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/weirdnews/s-360002-671210
ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (UPI) -- A crocodile captured in Isle of Palms may
actually have swum to the South Carolina city from Florida, natural
resources officials say.
Steve Bennett, an amphibian and reptile conservation specialist in the
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, said the 6-foot
reptile, thought to be an American crocodile, could easily have
traveled miles up the Atlantic Coast from the Everglades in southern
Florida to Isle of Palms, The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier
reported.
"It's not as ludicrous as you think. These are crocodile. They are not
American alligators. These are saltwater animals," Bennett said.
"Swimming a mile or two off the coast is nothing for a crocodile."
The crocodile was captured Thursday near a pier after managing to
avoid trappers for weeks. Sgt. James Ryan of the Isle of Palms Police
said residents were advised to stay clear of the potentially dangerous
reptile.
"It's the same as when one turns up on the golf course -- 'Guess what?
You better let him play through, because he belongs there and you
don't,'" Ryan said.
The crocodile is protected under endangered species laws and would
likely either be taken to an alligator park or a Florida preserve
rather than be put down, The Post and Courier said.