Always check the depth of the pool before you dive in, and make sure there isn’t a crocodile lurking beneath the surface.
That could be good advice for residents and tourists in certain parts of Mexico given that a crocodile was found in a pool at a luxury beachfront development in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, on Thursday.
The croc reportedly made its way to the pool from the Playa Blanca estuary, located about 20 kilometers southeast of the city of Zihuatanejo.
The reptile — approximately two meters long according to one report — was removed by Civil Protection personnel, who returned the specimen to its natural habitat.
Before they were called to coax the croc out of the pool, “the unexpected presence” of the reptile surprised tourists and workers at the residential complex, the website Noticias Énfasis reported.
Crocodiles are seen frequently in Zihuatanejo and nearby areas, although sightings in swimming pools are not common. At least nine have been seen outside their natural habitat this week, according to reports.
Earlier this week, a crocodile (or caiman according to some reports) attacked three members of a family including an 11-year-old boy at Playa Linda in Ixtapa, located around eight kilometers northwest of Zihuatanejo. They were treated in hospital for injuries to various parts of their bodies, but the boy — who was bitten on his head and arms — and his parents all survived.
In December, local officials issued a crocodile warning after videos of one wading in the surf and swimming near a beach in Ixtapa went viral.
Earlier the same month, a 76-year-old Belgian man died after he was attacked by either a shark or a crocodile at a beach in the same location.
With reports from Milenio, El Sur and Noticias Énfasis
