Aug 07 2007
Crocodile Paratroops Invade Russia!
Oh, sure, you think we're making this up, don't you? Hah! The Russian nuclear research town of Sarov isn't laughing. When it starts raining crocodiles on a busy street, there's not much to laugh about!
The one-metre (3.3-feet) caiman crocodile landed on a pavement after leaning too far out of the window of the apartment where it had lived for the last 15 years, the RIA Novosti news agency quoted an official with the local branch of the ministry as saying.
Frightened passers-by called the emergency services and rescuers managed to lasso the stunned animal and take it to a shelter for stray pets.
It was soon returned to its owner, unharmed apart from damage to one of its teeth, the official said.
It fell 12 stories and chipped a tooth? You know what this means, don't you? It was leading with its fangs. Well, that and that crocodiles are immune to the ill effects of the sudden stop at the end of a fall. We thought Poland had it bad with falling saint Bernards.
