Crocodile hunt in Marche

(ANSA) - Civitanova Marche, August 27 - Firefighters using an amphibious vehicle and forest rangers were searching an estuary of the Chienti river Thursday for a crocodile apparently spotted by a canoe instructor, firefighters said.
    The witness said the reptile, spotted between the river and marshland at Civitanova Marche in the province of Macerata, was not a large one but the alarm was considered serious and search operations were expected to continue until nightfall, firemen said.
    A forest guard, however, said he was sceptical about the sighting.
    "We checked and there are no circuses in the area. The nearest zoo is many kilometres away, at Falconara Marittima, and there is no news of private farms raising alligators or crocodiles".