ROME – Carabinieri have been sieving the canals in the lush Maccarese area near Rome after a local reportedly spotted a crocodile swimming there, local authorities said on Wednesday.

 The thought of a reptile in the Maccarese area certainly defies belief, but in this seaside area near the Leonardo da Vinci airport in Rome the hunt is on, under the advice of Fiumcino council on which Maccarese depends.

 “Carabinieri and forest owners are carrying out checks in the canals… we will see what happens,” explained mayor Esterino Montino, adding “I hope its not the result of some insane person that’s decided to keep a crocodile as a pet in their house. But up to now there’s not been a trace of evidence.”

 Currently, the summer safari exhibition is winding his way through all the canals in Bonifica in Maccarese, many of which serve the local agricultural shops on this coast of the Lazio region. Residents have been warned about the crocodile and a photo taken by a local has been travelling around social media sites, in which you can make out the outline of the claimed reptile underwater in a canal near to the historic village.

 Looking closer, the photo only really shows a shadow in murky water, which could easily be a tree trunk or a trick of the light, but many locals insist that it is in fact a crocodile; a little like their own Italian version of the mythological Loch Ness Monster.

 Those who report to have seen the animal claim that it “seemed to be an enormous reptile… an alligator, two meters long.” Thus Carabinieri and foresters are on the hunt.

Meanwhile, jokes are already circling the area; one citizen, trying to capitalise on the event, is even offering a menu of iguana and crocodile at ‘0 km’ away; as if we were in Alabama.

 cb