Seven-foot crocodile seen in North Cotabato town

KABACAN, North Cotabato – Residents of a village here and that of another in the nearby town of Matalam have reported seeing a huge crocodile – estimated to be about seven-foot – following a downpour that had swollen the Kabacan River last week.

Renato Espino, village councilman of Dagupan here, said the last sighting of the beast was on Thursday evening.

“It was so huge that our people were afraid. Many residents saw the crocodile opening its mouth,” Espino said.

He said residents who saw the reptile were about 10 meters away from the spot at the Kabacan River, where it was also seen on June 3.

Espino said the latest sighting on Thursday was made by a group of farmers, who had ventured out to catch edible frogs.

“They said it appeared to be waiting for something to eat. Its mouth constantly open and snapping once in a while,” he said.

He said the crocodile – the kind of which was not ascertained yet – first surfaced on June 2 in Barangay Kilada in Matalam town, in which, the Kabacan River also traverses.

Espino said by the account of those who had seen the reptile, it could be as long as seven feet.

The largest reptile captured in the province in recent years was Malang, the 2.18-meter freshwater crocodile netted in Mlang town in April.

Unlike their saltwater cousins, which could be as massive as Lolong, the saltwater reptile caught in Agusan, freshwater crocodiles could only grow to a certain length.

Lolong (died February 2013) measured 20.3 feet while Malang was touted to be the largest freshwater crocodile ever caught.

Espino said they already informed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources about their discovery.

“I told the villagers not to touch or harm the crocodile as it is an endangered species and penalties await those who will harm its kind,” he said.

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