Lolong is one BIG crocodile
A huge crocodile known as Lolong has brought pride, fear andtouriststo the remote southern Philippines town where it was captured. And now it has claimed a world record, too.
Guinness World Records declared the giant, blamed for deadly attacks before it was captured last September, is the largest saltwater crocodile in captivity in the world.
The news sparked celebrations in Bunawan, a farming town of 37,000 in Agusan del Sur province, but Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde said it also fostered concerns that more giant crocodiles might lurk in a marshland and creek where villagers fish.
A Philippine National Police officer stands next to a giant saltwater crocodile last year. Early this month,. the Guinness Book of World Records announced it was the biggest in captivity. The saltwater crocodile nicknamed "Lolong" measured 20.24 feet and weighed more than a ton. (AP Photo/File)
“There were mixed feelings,” Elorde said by telephone. “We’re really proud because it proves the rich biodiversity of our place but at the same time, there are fears that Lolong may not be alone.”
Lolong has become the star attraction of a new ecotourism park and research center in the outskirts of Bunawan and has drawn thousands of tourists since news of its capture spread. Elorde said his town has earned $72,000 from the modest entrance fees at the park, with most of the money being used to feed and care for the crocodile and maintain the park.
Lolong measures 20.24 feet and weighs more than a ton, Guinness spokeswoman Anne-Lise Rouse said in a statement seen Sunday. The reptile took the top spot from an Australian crocodile that measured more than 17 feet and weighed nearly a ton.
Nature in the news: Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje welcomed the Guinness announcement and the growing attention for the crocodile, saying it would help people realize the biodiversity of their surroundings and the need to protect it. He said he would recommend that the government help Bunawan become an ecotourism destination.
The hunt: The crocodile was captured with steel cable traps during a three-week hunt after two people went missing and presumed to be victims of the crocodile. Water buffalos have also been attacked by crocodiles in the area.
About 100 people led by Elorde pulled the crocodile from a creek using a rope and then hoisted it by crane onto a truck. It was named after a government environmental officer who died from a heart attack after traveling to Bunawan to help capture the beast, Elorde said.
Elorde said he saw a bigger crocodile escape when Lolong was captured and villagers remain wary of fishing there at night. He said he has formed a team of hunters and is seeking government permission to hunt that crocodile.
Reported by By JIM GOMEZ Associated Press from MANILA, Philippines
Bunawan Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde pretends to measure a huge crocodile which was captured by residents and crocodile farm staff along a creek in Bunawan in Bunawan town in Agusan del Sur province, southern Philippines. Guinness World Records has declared that the huge crocodile is the largest in captivity in the world. (AP Photo)
