Georges, The Lonely Crocodile In Martinique’s Mangroves

By Caroline Popovic In 2005, rumours started circulating. A crocodile had been sighted in the mangroves and the tributaries of the Lezarde River in Lamentin, the second largest town of Martinique. Ten years later, Georges, so christened by the people of Lamentin, had grown. Sightings became more frequent. In 2016, fruitless attempts were made to capture Georges. Experts were brought in. The crocodile was nowhere to be found. In 2021, the town hall of Lamentin tried unsuccessfully to trap the crocodile. In 2023, more specialists arrived. For days they patrolled the canals in the mangroves and the tributaries of the Lezarde River in and around the busy town of Lamentin. They searched for Georges near the international airport, the marina at Port Cohé and the area near the busy commercial centre called Place d’Armes. When the experts left, Georges showed up. Crowds came to watch. The police had to keep people in check. Everyone wanted to be the first to post pictures of Georges on social media. The crocodile’s most spectacular appearance occurred on Tuesday 10 September 2024. Georges emerged to take a sun bath. After several days of torrential rain, the crocodile needed to dry out. The reptile lay...