Overview

• Authorities mobilized police, Carabinieri, Protezione Civile and eco-watchdogs after an anonymous 112 call reported a 50–70 cm reptile in the Sanguinara River
• Residents and social media users circulated photos and videos suggesting a crocodile-like figure on the riverbank, fueling public alarm
• Searches in the river yielded no trace of a real animal, prompting naturalist Andrea Bonifazi to flag the figure’s rigid posture and unnaturally white eyes as toy characteristics
• On July 29 recovery teams pulled an inflatable plastic crocodile from the water, confirming suspicions of a prank
• Mayor Grando announced plans to file a complaint for public alarm against those responsible for placing the toy in the river