Wildlife bureau chief recommends returning large croc to wild

LARGEST FRESHWATER CROC “Malang,” a Philippine freshwater crocodile caught by fishermen in M’lang,North Cotabato province, is believed the largest of its kind in captivity. WILLIAMOR A. MAGBANUA/INQUIRER MINDANAO

MANILA, Philippines—The crocodile named Malang will not be a tourist attraction.

Wildlife authorities have recommended the release back to the wild of the 2.18-meter Philippine freshwater crocodile, which is believed to be the largest of its kind to have been captured.

Biodiversity Management Bureau Director Theresa Mundita Lim said her agency, following consultations with scientific experts, would advise local officials to free the reptile that was caught by fishermen in the Liguasan Marsh on April 12.

But she added that Malang, named after the town of M’lang in North Cotabato where it was caught, would need first to undergo a series of health tests before it is released into the wild.

“Community awareness campaigns” will also be held in the town to make the locals understand the importance of saving endemic species like Malang.

“We need to make sure that the communities and LGU are aware of the benefits of the release, so they become true partners in protecting the species in its natural habitat,” Lim said.

The beast is believed to be the largest Philippine freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) ever caught. The critically endangered species can grow to a maximum of 3.05 meters, according to wildlife journals.

Two crocodilian species are found in the Philippines, the Philippine freshwater crocodile, which is endemic to the country, and the Indo-Pacific crocodile, or Crocodylus porosus, which is widely distributed throughout the tropical areas of Asia and the Pacific.

The Philippine croc is a relatively small species compared to its Indo-Pacific cousin, which can grow up to several meters.

The 6.09-meter “Lolong,” the world’s largest captive crocodile found in the Agusan Marsh but which died of pneumonia and cardiac arrest in February last year, was an Indo-Pacific crocodile.

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