Allegedly Taken While Still In The Form Of Egg, A Crocodile Returned To The Zoo: The Owner Is Fined

JAKARTA - A nearly 8-foot crocodile allegedly taken from a Texas zoo nearly 20 years ago as an egg or hatchling, was returned to the facility after being seen illegally alive in the backyard of a house near Austin, United States, officials said.

Investigators were on a property in rural Badminton County for separate incidents, when they saw crocodiles in the cage, Texas Game spokesman Jen Shugert said Monday.

A woman at the property told investigators she had taken crocodile eggs nearly 20 years ago when she was a volunteer at the zoo, according to Shugert.

"Despite the habitat in the backyard for the alligator, it has surpassed its cage because it is nearly 8 feet long," Shugert said.

After wildlife officers found the woman was unable to meet the requirements for proper permission to keep the crocodile, the crew went to the area where the woman lived, caught a crocodile and took it to Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo, her original home, according to the zoo.

The zoo - located in New Braunfels, less than 30 miles northeast of San Antonio - posted a video on Friday of a large reptile being carried from a truck, through facilities and into the cage with other crocodiles.

"We got a call from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department about a crocodile that someone seems to have for more than 20 years," a zoo employee said in the video.

"Obviously, they actually volunteer here, at Animal World & Snake Farm, in the past and seem to be taking crocodiles, either as eggs or hatchlings, and really keeping these animals for at least 20 years now."

The crocodile will now live the rest of its life in the zoo, the employee said in the video.

The woman was charged with two minor offenses, illegally belonging to the alligator's eggs and ownership of the alligator without the right permission, Shugert said. Each was fined up to $500.

"Buaya is not a good pet, all of you," the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said in an Instagram post on Friday about relocating reptiles to the zoo.