Viral Video of Alleged Crocodile at Ancol Canal; Residents Believe It Is Monitor Lizard or Snake

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – A video showing the alleged emergence of a crocodile in Ancol Canal, North Jakarta, has gone viral on social media. However, as of Wednesday (11 March 2026) evening, there is no evidence of the animal appearing at the location.

The video was posted by Instagram account @karinpepbiola. In the recording, the person filming claims to have seen an alleged crocodile emerge at the water’s surface of the canal. As the camera zoomed in closer, part of the animal’s body became visible above the water before it submerged again. In the recording, the creature is seen swimming briefly before disappearing into the water. “Watch out pedestrians, it disappeared – who knows where it went,” the poster remarked after the animal was no longer visible.

Kompas.com conducted a direct verification at the location mentioned in the video on Wednesday between 14:50 and 16:00 WIB. However, no animal was observed at the surface of Ancol Canal. At the location, only a murky green water flow with floating leaves and algae were visible.

One local resident, Bayu (35), stated he had never seen a crocodile in the canal. “It’s probably just a monitor lizard or snake. Those are common – they usually come out at night,” he told Kompas.com at the site. “I’ve worked here since 2019, and there’s never been a crocodile. If there is one in Pluit, yes, because that’s their habitat,” he added.

According to Bayu, if there truly were a crocodile in Ancol Canal, its presence would likely have already caused significant alarm among local residents. “When the canal overflowed during the recent flood, there was still no crocodile. If there really was one, the locals would have definitely caught it – it would have caused quite a fuss,” he concluded.