SEE YOU LATER ALLIGATOR?

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The wildlife and animal protection arm of the Guardia Civil, SEPRONA, have launched a search around the town of Majada Vieja, near Mijas, after receiving “quite credible” reports of a large reptile wandering around a local lagoon.

Witnesses have reported that the reptile is around 2 metres long and has a flat head, elongated with sharp teeth on either side, leading experts to believe that it may be either an alligator or crocodile. One witness reported seeing the creature “crossing a road” near the lake.

None indigenous to Spain, if the reports are found to be true, wildlife experts are unable to explain how the creature could have been introduced to the area, but they have raised suspicions that it could have been brought into the country illegally, and then released into the wild, or possibly having escaped from its owners.

There are a number of streams and water inlets which experts believe would be ideal to provide a home for such a specimen, but have still to find any physical evidence, such as footprints, ramps for water access or the remains of other animals that would have served as food, and are therefore unable to officially “ratify” the existence of the Mijas Monster.