The stay of the crocodile seized from the capital's "Botunets" and moved to the Sofia Zoo, will continue until the final clarification of the ownership of the animal and provision of suitable conditions for its breeding. If the documents are not presented within the 10-day period, the copies will be confiscated in favor of the state.
This is indicated by the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) in a message published on the department's website. In the Sofia Zoo, the crocodile will receive the necessary veterinary care.
The Regional Environment and Water Inspectorate (RIOSV) – Sofia continued to check the documents for breeding the crocodile. Serious inconsistencies were found between the chip number, the name of the owner, the address of the animal's breeding and the document presented by the person who breeds it, for which a report was drawn up, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications also informed. The number of the chip, the address of cultivation and the name of the owner do not correspond to the data indicated in the registration card presented to RIOSV-Sofia, specified by the Eco-Ministry. During the documentary check and in the register, it was found that the person pretending to be the owner has no issued registration cards for keeping animals.
For the period 2004-2024 on the territory of RISW – A total of 23 crocodiles were registered in Sofia, the Ministry of Education and Culture reported. And they emphasize that the breeding of animals, including exotic species such as crocodiles, is strictly regulated by the Biodiversity Act, the Animal Protection Act and the Veterinary Medicine Act.
The efforts of the responsible institutions to remove the crocodile from the place where it was kept continued for two days. After reports from the regional administration of "Kremikovtsi" specialist herpetologists arrived on the scene and determined the species of the reptile. Yesterday the crocodile was finally seized by "Botunets".