Commenting on the viral video footage of a crocodile crossing the southern expressway, a senior official attached to the expressway said animals had a chance of entering expressways through rainwater drainage systems.

Speaking to Daily Mirror, he said the crocodile had crossed the new expressway (E6) from Andarawewa to Hambantota.

“Animals have a chance of entering expressways through rainwater drainage systems connected to streams, lakes and rivers. Expressway road inspections are conducted twice a week to check the possibility of animals entering the road. Human activities such as cutting off the protective wire mesh may have led to this. The individual who witnessed this incident and shared it on social media had not informed expressway officials. However, this crocodile may have entered the road through a rainwater drainage system as there is no sign of the crocodile to have entered through the protective wire mesh,” he said.

He requested motorists to be cautious when travelling in the expressway at maximum speed due to the possibility of animals such as dogs and peacocks entering the road. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)