The Great Croc Escape!

Cambodia News, (Siem Reap): In two separate incidents in Siem Reap, shipments of adult crocodiles bought by farm owners for sale escaped from their cages into canals on the evenings of June 17 and 23, 2023.


According to Colonel Tep Pumsen, Puok District Police Inspector, by phone on June 27, 2023, before the incident on June 23, 2023, our forces received information from the owner of the crocodiles named Kong Chantha, 50-year-old man currently residing in Puok Chas village, Puok commune, Puok district, Siem Reap province. He said that around midnight on June 17. 2023, his newly purchased and shipped crocodiles had escaped from the cage area at his property. The escapees were 10 adult crocodiles, weighing between 40kg to 80kg.


Puok district police chief then put out the alert, and residents in Puok and Daun Keo communes went to help the police forces to find the crocodiles. According to the owner, all the crocodiles have now been recovered.

The chief of police added that on June 23, 2023, he also received information from another crocodile owner, Sok Vichey, alias Kong Phet, from Kork Kandal village, Sor Sorsdom commune, Puok district, Siem Reap province, on the night of June 22, 2023. His escaped crocodiles were newly bought, weighing from 30-50 kilograms each, and he had not yet untied their mouths when they ran away from the cages in the area.

According to the authorities, all the missing crocodiles have now been accounted for and taken into custody. Villagers in the area have nothing to fear.