Translation 004

CROCODILES ESCAPE IN VIETNAM

 
Severe floods in parts of Vietnam have killed several hundred people and caused widespread damage.
But now there is a new problem to contend with, after hundreds of crocodiles escaped from a farm when
the floods destroyed their cages. This report from Steve Jackson:
The state owned Yang Bay farm in central Vietnam was home to around five-thousand crocodiles, until
flash floods destroyed their cages at the weekend. The authorities don't know exactly how many of the
reptiles escaped but they believe several hundred are on the loose.
Soldiers, forest rangers and villagers have been trying to track them down. Only eight crocodiles have
been recaptured so far and three more shot dead. The first to be killed weighed two-hundred kilograms
and took eight people to carry it away. Many of the escaped crocodiles are thought to have taken up
residence in a nearby lake, and officials have warned people to be extremely careful and not to go
swimming.
Crocodiles are farmed in Vietnam for meat and their skin which is still used to make handbags. The
manager of the farm says he fears some local people will try to catch them so they can sell the leather.
The floods - caused by a series of typhoons - have caused widespread damage in northern and central
Vietnam, killing around two-hundred people since the start of October.
Steve Jackson, BBC

flash floods
sudden heavy rain and rising water
escaped
got away, fled
on the loose
free
forest rangers
people who look after parks and natural areas
to track them down
to find them
recaptured
put back into cages
taken up residence
started living
farmed
bred, raised (here)

HoHuyen, HUS-VNU Page 1

Translation 004

leather
dried animal skin
widespread damage
great destruction

Further reading and translation

VIETNAM HUNTS ESCAPED CROCODILES
Soldiers and villagers are hunting for hundreds of crocodiles washed away from a farm after floods in central
Vietnam.
The reptiles were swept away on Saturday when a flash flood knocked down a fence at a crocodile farm in
Khanh Hoa province, officials said.
At least seven of the animals have been shot or recaptured, media reports said, but no-one yet knows how
many escaped.
About 5,000 crocodiles lived on the farm. They are reared in Vietnam for their skin and meat.
Forest rangers, soldiers and militiamen have been searching for the creatures since they were washed away
from the farm, apparently into a nearby stream.
Local official Nguyen Ngoc Hoa told the BBC how people had rushed to the scene in the hope of catching the
animals and earning a reward.
"One would be paid 100,000 dong ($6; £3) for one baby crocodile, and 20,000 dong for 1kg [2.2lb] of the grown-
up creature," he said.
"People are actively involved in the hunt as the pay-back is far greater than one day of their work payment."
Vietnam has been hit by severe seasonal weather in recent weeks.
A series of storms has brought high winds and heavy rain to the central and northern parts of the country,
triggering flooding and landslides.
More than 200 people have been killed since early October and more heavy rainfall is expected, forecasters say.
Crocodiles escape in Vietnam

Read the news story and decide whether the statements are true or false.

1. The government owned the crocodile farm.

2. Five thousand crocodiles have escaped.
3. Three crocodiles have been killed.
4. The escaped crocodiles live in a school swimming pool.
5. These crocodiles are used for both meat and handbags.
6. The bad weather in Vietnam has killed 2,000 people since October.

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