Aug. 18 (UPI) — Authorities in Taiwan said a caiman that escaped from its owner’s home was safely recaptured after being found hiding in a sewer.
Liu Tan-kuei, chief of Hsin Lun Borough in Zhubei, Hsinchu County, said the caiman, a smaller cousin of the alligator and crocodile, was spotted by a CCTV camera Tuesday night walking across a city street before crawling into a storm drain.
Firefighters attempted to flood the storm drain with water to wash out the caiman, but the animal did not emerge.
Liu said firefighters, animal rescuers and local residents went around the area opening manholes until they located the caiman, which then was recaptured safely.
The caiman’s owner, identified only as Sashimi, said the 24-year-old pet escaped her home Monday through a door that had been accidentally left open. She said the reptile, named Little E, is not aggressive unless it feels threatened.
Caimans are legal to own in Taiwan, but owners can face fines if the animals are set free without the government’s permission. Liu said authorities are investigating whether any laws were violated by Little E’s escape.