Crocodile in the Cairn

On a beautiful March morning, Primary 6 pupils from Loreburn Primary School joined staff from the Nith District Salmon Fishery Board to release salmon fry, which they had helped hatch in their classroom, out into the River Cairn.
Once the fry had been successfully planted out, the class took part in a walk down the river to explore and identify the geological features of the river. On rounding a corner, a cry came up from the children at the front of the group, “There’s a crocodile in the river!” to which some of the adults replied, “It can’t be – you don’t get crocodiles in this country!” Needless to say, they were thinking that it would be a piece of wood or something similar.

However, when everyone peered into the water over the embankment, lo and behold!, there really was a dead “crocodile”, measuring about 1.2m in length!

Mr Jim Henderson, Fishery Director of the Nith District Salmon Fishery Board, says: “The most likely explanation is that an iguana, or some similar reptile, has grown too big for its tank and has been released into the wild.”

Wherever this “crocodile” came from, it certainly made it a field trip that won’t be forgotten in a hurry!