Original article (in Montenegrin) was published on 27/07/2021
For the past few years, each new summer tourist season in Montenegro brings along tabloid posts where tourists are warned to beware of sharks that have allegedly been spotted or caught in coastal waters of Montenegro.
This year, the tabloids took the subject “a step further” and quoted readers as having spotted a crocodile.
The daily Kurir published an article on crocodile spotting entitled “What is lurking in the waters of Ada Bojana? Tourists filmed a disturbing scene on the popular beach – Photo”.
The article reads:
An “unexpected” guest appeared on Ada Bojana. Kurir’s editorial office received a disturbing photo that our readers took on Ada Bojana, near Ulcinj. Namely, it seems as if a crocodile is swimming in the waters of the popular seaside getaway. The upset readers are saying that they are worried about their safety and that those visiting Montenegro are now facing yet another threat, in addition to sharks and dolphins. “Whether it’s a crocodile or not, see for yourself.”
The image accompanying the article clearly shows a tree trunk, a sight often seen on the Bojana River. However, “Kurir” recognized a crocodile. However, it is a fact that crocodiles do not live in Montenegro. They are a species to be found in Asia, Australia, America and Africa.
The habitats of crocodiles and similar species are shown on this National Geographic Map. As you can imagine, the map shows no habitats of crocodiles in Montenegro.For the past few years (2017, 2018, 2019), this Belgrade-based newspaper has been featuring sensationalist articles whose very headlines contain the word “panic” and warn readers of shark spottings in Montenegro and Budva.