Driver Baz Young told the Space Coast Associated Press news agency he did not notice his reptilian passenger until a woman passenger pointed under his seat.

"I've got no idea where he came from," Young said on Thursday. "I near palm bay high,and looked back and there it was"

"I believe someone must have taken him into the bus thinking that they'd take him somewhere and maybe he was too strong for them to hold so he disappeared under the seat and they've done a quiet exit and left me with the crocodile," he said.

The 30-inch crocodile had its jaws taped shut but still managed to scratch a police officer's hand when it was taken into custody before being handed to local rangers.