Weighted Caiman Found in Roubaix Canal Prompts Animal-Cruelty Investigation

Overview

• A fisherman using a magnet recovered the sleeping-bag–wrapped, weighted reptile Sunday evening from a canal in Roubaix, the Nord prefecture confirmed.
• The Ligue Protectrice des Animaux identified the animal as a spectacled caiman about one meter long and roughly ten kilograms, a size experts say could reflect youth or stunted growth.
• Prosecutors in Lille opened an inquiry for animal mistreatment, and police set a veterinary autopsy for Wednesday after the LPA placed the carcass in cold storage.
• Police said the body showed little decay, which suggests a recent dumping, and they warned that finding an owner will be difficult because there are few cameras near the canal.
• France requires special permits to keep crocodilians, yet illegal sales and private keeping persist through cross‑border and online markets, with violations punishable by up to three years in prison and heavy fines.