Villagers Catch Huge Saltwater Crocodile after Three Week Hunt

An enormous, monster crocodile that measures 6.4 metres in length and weighing more than a tonne has been caught by villagers in marshes surrounding a remote part of the southern Philippines.  The hunt was organised after a series of attacks on livestock and people say officials and this particular crocodile is the biggest caught alive in the Philippines in living memory.

Local officials are also claiming that this giant reptile may be the biggest specimen ever captured.  Recently, giant crocodiles hit the headlines when a “Saltie” known as “Cassius” which resides in a marine park in northern Queensland was officially declared the largest crocodile in captivity by the Guinness Book of Records.  However, if plans to put this Philippine croc into a marine park come to fruition then this new specimen will be the new world record holder.

The Difference Between a Crocodile and an Alligator

Crocodile (top) and Alligator (bottom).

Pictures released show the captured crocodile on a trolley surrounded by curious villagers, whilst the image above shows the difference between a crocodile and an alligator.

For replicas and models of reptiles and other ancient creatures: Prehistoric Life (Mojo Fun Models).

Josefina de Leon, wildlife division chief of the environment ministry’s protected areas and wildlife bureau, said it was likely to be the biggest crocodile ever captured.

She went onto state:

“This is the biggest animal that I’ve handled in 20 years of trapping.”

The hunt for the crocodile in the village of Bunawan began in mid-August and it took dozens of local men to secure its capture on Saturday.  There had been a number of crocodile attacks on livestock and at least one fatal attack on a fisherman.  However, crocodile hunter Rollie Sumiller, who led the hunt, said this reptile may not be the killer they have been looking for as the local marshes in the province of Agusan del Sur are a wildlife sanctuary and the home to a number of super-sized crocodiles.  Several traps had been set to catch the monster, these proved too weak to contain the powerful animal but eventually a stronger trap was built and this example of a super predator captured.

Rollie commented:

“We’re not really sure if this is the man-eater, because there have been other sightings of other crocodiles in the area.”

There are plans to build a tourist attraction eco-park in the area, the super-sized crocodile will become one of the star attractions, permitting visitors to get up close to a truly gigantic reptile.  Saltwater crocodile attacks are all too frequent, last month we reported on a fatal crocodile attack on a teenage boy on the Salafem river.

To read this article: Crocodile Kills Fourteen-Year-Old Boy.