Local authorities said that weeks of rainfall had raised water levels in nearby lagoons, causing the crocodiles to seek shelter in cities.

In recent days, the giant reptiles have crawled into Tampico and nearby Ciudad Madero and Altamira, among other places. Authorities have captured and relocated at least 165 individuals outside urban areas.

The federal Attorney General's Office for the Environment said about 40 more crocodiles were captured in Tamaulipas in June and relocated to habitats outside populated areas.

Crocodiles are a protected species in Mexico. They rarely attack humans.

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This article was originally published on Onet Travel.