Associated Press

Hong Kong, April 13:

Conservation officers have launched a new campaign to trap Hong Kong’s elusive stray crocodile, and they said today it’s grown a bit bigger. Throughout the repeated attempts to capture the crocodile, officials have only been able to estimate its size by looking from a distance. But they believe it’s now grown to 1.5 metres from about 1.2 metres in length.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department spokesman Albert Hui declined to say immediately whether it would be harder or easier to catch a slightly larger croc. But all attempts so far have failed.

The crocodile eluded Hong Kong’s initial efforts to snare it with tranquiliser guns and traps baited with chicken. An Australian hunter then tried with equipment including a harpoon but went away empty-handed. A Chinese team finally gave up for the cold season. Hong Kong officials recently set new traps, but with no immediate luck. Recent newspaper photos showed the crocodile sunbathing atop one trap.