Wildlife authorities in the Philippines say they have captured a 21-foot-long, 2,370-pound saltwater crocodile, thought to be the largest creature of its kind now in captivity.
The croc was captured in Agusan del Sur marsh on the southern Philippine island of Mindinao, according to a report on GMA News. Hunters had been trying to capture it for 21 days, the report said. It was finally captured on Saturday by a team of about 30 men who used meat to bait it and an eight millimeter metal cable to snare it, according to an Agence-France Presse report on ABS.CBN News.
Edwin Cox Elorde, mayor of the remote town of Bunawan near where the croc was caught, said the reptile will become the star of a nature park there, according to the AFP report.
The previous largest crocodile in captivity is an 18-footer in Australia, according to Guinness World Records.
Crocodiles are suspected in the deaths of a local fisherman earlier this year and a girl a few years ago, according to the news reports, but authorities could not say whether the monster caught Saturday was responsible.
Cox Elorde told Inquirer news in the Philippines that there could be a thousand more large crocodiles in the marsh, but he denied earlier reports that locals would try to catch another.
He also said the croc captured Saturday has been named Lolong, after local hunter Ernesto “Lolong” Conate, who died of a stroke while helping plan the capture of the reptile.
Yum. Think of all the fritters they could make!
What a big beast. I have seen many shows on NatGeo where they look for these big guys, but they have never found one this large.
it is news because Crocs this size were thought to not exist any more due to the wonderful nature of us humans.
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Only a Texan could make that comment.
By the way - has anyone seen my great dane - he's a swamp tromper
Crocs and gators are said to be descended from dinosaurs. Too bad, there are no more dinosaurs around.
Oh man, those peasants are going to eat tonight. "Smee!"
"said the reptile will become the star of a nature park there, according to the AFP report."
Maybe one needs to learn to read, before making snide remarks? They caught it alive.
"Smee !!! " – as quoted by Captain Hook.....................
okay, a human life is not more important than that of any living thing. you just THINK it is because you have an instinct to preserve your own species, w/e
and saying it should be kept in captivity just because it MIGHT kill someone is retarded. if thats the case then we should all be in prison, because we MIGHT kill someone, or steal a candybar or some stupid crap like that. crocs gotta eat. you dont whine about how you and your neighbor kill cows to eat
grow a pair dude
Maybe you should do the world a favor and kill yourself. That way, you won't harm anyone else.
ya
Take that swamp people....
lol nice
Ah, yes. Humans again showing their humanity. Let us trap an animal that has probably caused us no harm and cage it, thus demonstrating our superior intellect and ability. Then caged as the beast is, it can live out its life in misery for our enjoyment.
People suck.
Please, feel free to go toss yourself in front of crocodiles and feed them... YAY HUMAN!
Well as the society has been deconstructed the human hating misfits wrap themselves in the excuse of animal rights.
Wow!
The biggest crocodile in the Philippines is in the house of congress. Please visit there and you will see it in flesh. Its the biggest crocodile farm in the worls
Feed GW to him.
If it was living in your backyard, you'd want it out. Bunauan Phillipines is their back yard.
ok those who say this is wrong, how about they put this animal in your backyard and let it live.....dumb whites
It saddens me to see how conceited, stupid and short-sighted we continue to be as a human species. The crocodile is no longer a crocodile but a "monster" but it's okay if we profit off of it to make money and turn it into a freak show for tourism and locals alike, not to mention caging this animal for the rest of its life without any regard to its natural habitat. Humans haven't advanced much at all in the past few thousand years; we just like to THINK we have and that is our great tragedy and illusion.
So what makes you think there is no regard to the reptiles natural habitat when in captivity? Have you not been to a zoo? If not I suggest doing some research about it. They mimic the natural habitat of the animals that are held there as closely as possible. In fact, usually the animals in captivity live a more prosporous life in the zoo as they eat like kings with hardly having to hunt their food. It's the equivelant of a human being put in a nice, big, fully furnished house with a fully stocked refridgerator always, cable television, a big yard, and all of the amenities we use to live. Oh yeah, that would be terrible.
This is NOT a crocodile. This a is a freaking DINOSAUR !!