Capaccio Paestum – A presumed alligator has been spotted in the waters of the Laura Nuova canal in Capaccio Paestum. According to Il Mattino, the report was made by a local businessman, who also filmed the animal and notified the municipal police.
The alarm was raised on social media after a post by the National Association of Retired Firefighters (ANVVFC) in Capaccio-Paestum, which published an image of the reptile. From that moment on, a veritable mystery unfolded: the animal's origins are unclear, and theories include a prank or a fake object.
The protocol has been activated: institutions and associations are involved
Following the report, Municipal Police Commander Antonio Rinaldi activated an emergency protocol involving the Paestum Land Reclamation Consortium, environmental conservation officers, the WWF, and retired firefighter volunteers, with the aim of monitoring the area and preparing any recovery operations.
"We believe the source is reliable; we don't believe it's an image created using artificial intelligence," Rinaldi told la Repubblica, explaining that the area to be searched is limited, but that a similar incident had never occurred before. The public was advised not to approach the site of the sighting.
Drones and baits in the canal
According to Il Mattino, bait has been placed in four different spots along the canal, and drones are also monitoring the area to detect any movements and confirm the animal's presence.
The hypotheses: abandoned animal or toy
Regarding the alleged reptile's origin, one of the initial theories is that it was illegally kept and then abandoned. However, the possibility that it isn't a real animal at all remains on the table: some naturalists, quoted by la Repubblica, observe that the photo suggests it could be a rubber toy, as some details (such as the lateral osteoderms) appear "too pronounced and precise."
The Region is also involved
The matter is also being closely monitored at the institutional level. According to Il Mattino, the regional councilor for Civil Protection, Fiorella Zabatta, is monitoring the situation and has initiated a meeting with a group of experts from the University of Salerno to verify the reliability of the sighting and determine the measures to be taken.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
I honestly don't know if this alligator is real or not, but I think it's important for the authorities to carry out checks for safety. A report like this can't be ignored, even if it seems strange.