Captured croc still off limits to public

BUNAWAN, Agusan del Sur—“Lolong,” the 6.4-meter-long (not 6.1 as reported earlier) saltwater crocodile captured here on Saturday, will not be available yet for public viewing.

Bunawan Mayor Edwin “Cox” Elorde told Radio Inquirer in an interview that they have decided not to allow the public to see the captured giant crocodile. “No public viewing yet,” he said.

The mayor did not elaborate. But one of the reasons could be Lolong himself.

The caretaker told the Inquirer that since its capture on Saturday, the crocodile had remained reticent.

“Lolong only surfaces from the pool when there is no more disturbance or when it is already silent here at night,” the caretaker said.

Those who came to see Lolong here waited for hours before they finally got a glimpse of the reptile.

“It is yet to acclimatize to its new surroundings,” he said.

Elorde said Lolong’s behavior was normal and that a team of crocodile experts from Palawan province told him the crocodile was in good health and might not need a veterinary as of the moment.

Lolong, however, continues to sow fear even in captivity.

“I am scared,” said 4-year-old Webson as he and his father watched from a distance the concrete cage with iron grills, which now houses Lolong.

Webson could even barely see the reptile.

But one of the designated watchers of the cage said contrary to the general belief of the people here, Lolong might not be aggressive at all.

Chicken first meal

Residents of this sleepy town of about 37,000 people suspect that the 1,075-kilogram reptile had recently attacked a carabao and a fisherman here.

A girl was also reportedly attacked and eaten by a crocodile in 2009.

But Elorde said these rumors had never been verified.

The caretaker said they have not fed Lolong yet since Saturday upon the advice of crocodile experts.

Elorde said Lolong was to get his first meal since his capture on Wednesday and that it would be most likely chicken.

Elorde also hinted that Lolong might be released back to the wild even as he was being considered the star of a planned ecotourism park.

“We may eventually relocate him to a safer place and not near villages,” he said.

The one that got away

Elorde also confirmed reports that a bigger crocodile was spotted near the area where Lolong was captured.

“The other companion of Lolong even appeared to be bigger in size and shape, but it went away,” he said.

Despite this, Elorde said there was no hunt for the other crocodile or smaller ones lurking in the vast Agusan Marsh.

As to the fear of residents about possible crocodile attacks, he said villagers had been told to report any sighting to authorities.

“They are not really that aggressive and we have not ordered a hunt,” Elorde said.

According to Elorde, there are now moves to validate whether or not Lolong is indeed the largest crocodile in captivity.—Reports from Dennis Jay Santos and Franklin Caliguid, Inquirer Mindanao