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	NEWS *The* *CROC PRESS* Regular coverage of crocodilians and people in headlines worldwide. Wes von Papineäu, News Page Editor Email: crocnews@crocodopolis.net _________________________________________________ Week of 13 January 08 *"Crocodile Tears are Real"* Check out this week's Croc TV featurette. 15 January 08 *Glaciers grew with Arctic alligator* Giant glaciers formed about 90 million years ago when alligators thrived in the Arctic, overturning the belief that all ice melts in a "super greenhouse" climate, researchers said on Thursday. The study, based on organic molecules in ocean sediments and chemicals in ancient fossil shells, indicated there were ice sheets in Antarctica during parts of the Turonian period, one of the warmest times in history when dinosaurs roamed the planet. http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=417932&sid=FTP 14 January 08 *'Noah's Ark' set to swap animals* Asiana Airlines will undertake its largest-scale transport mission ever to swap animals between Seoul Grand Park and Thailand's Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo. In the project dubbed "Noah's Ark,'' the nation's second largest airline will carry a total of 373 animals. The Seoul park official said Monday that the two zoos will exchange 373 animals of 70 species by June ― the park will send 189 animals of 33 species to the Thai zoo, while bringing 184 of 37 species from it. The animals are worth about 2.2 billion won and weigh 80 tons in total. The two zoos agreed on the swap last March in an effort to preserve wild animals and secure rare species. The first flight will take place next week. Asiana's B747-400 cargo flight will take 90 animals from Korea to Thailand on Jan. 24, and bring 30 animals from the Southeast Asian country to Korea the next day. The second will take place in June. The 189 animals the Korean zoo will send include pumas, Korean gray wolves and Siberian tigers. The animals from the Thai zoo include mongooses, southern tamanduas, and musk cats. Some 100 rare animals will also come to Korea, such as Nile crocodiles, the world's largest crocodile at six meters long weighing more than 680 kilograms; green anacondas, the world's largest and heaviest anaconda; mongooses; and veiled chameleons. http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/01/117_17276.html 14 January 08 Croc meat a culinary feature in Dubai (This is an commentary piece in the Kahleej times) "Fancy a bite of crocodile meat? The ongoing Australian food promotion provides the right fodder to indulge your exotic fancies... "This piece of crocodile, however, is safely on a skewer, sizzled on a barbeque, and served up to you at JW Marriott as part of its two month long Australian Food Promotion which runs until February 28. "All sorts of exotic delicacies will be gracing the plates of guests dining at three of the restaurants, including kangaroo, emu and crocodile. As an Australian, I find it a little amusing to be eating these meats in Dubai as part of Taste of Australia, when they can be hard to find in Australian restaurants and are generally reserved for tourist areas. They are certainly not typical fodder and can’t be found in supermarkets but occasionally high-end restaurants." http://www.khaleejtimes.com/CityHome.asp?xfile=data/citytimes/2008/January/citytimes_January128.xml&section=citytimes&col= 14 January 08 QLD may revamp croc warning signs The Australian Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is reviewing crocodile signage at Carmila Creek, south of Mackay, after reports of people swimming near warning signs in the known crocodile habitat. http://www.dailymercury.com.au/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3760787&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection= 13 January 08 Solomon Islands villagers Deal with dangerous crocs The Solomon Islands Police Force, with the assistance of their RAMSI Participating Police Force counterparts, has successfully responded to villagers' concerns about crocodiles threatening their villages in the Gizo area last week. A total of four crocodiles were caught in the operation that lasted four days and involved a number of police and local guides from Nimu Nimu, Buki and Bui Bui village areas. http://solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=1210 13 January 08 Police find abandoned gators in Montana BOZEMAN, Mont. - The Gallatin County Sheriff's Department is investigating possible animal cruelty after officers discovered several exotic animals -- including two alligators -- in an abandoned trailer. Deputies on Friday discovered the 3 1/2-foot-long alligators along with a Burmese Python, an iguana and several species of fish and turtles at the King Arthur Trailer Court. Police records say the animals were in "various stages of neglect." http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=7617058&nav=menu227_7 13 January 08 *Alligators attack dogs in S. Florida* DELRAY BEACH — One dog remains missing today after alligators swarmed it and its two companions in the lake between a Home Depot and Interstate 95 Northbound. Fire rescuers situated on the interstate worked themselves through the thick sawgrass to get to the lake while more rescue units waited on the other side, behind the Home Depot off Linton Boulevard. It was from there that witnesses apparently saw an alligator moving in on three dogs and call the fire rescuers, said Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Russ Accardi of Delray Beach. When units got there the alligator grabbed one of the dogs and pulled it down, Accardi said. Officials on boat tried searching for it but havenÄôt found anything. Upon being rescued a second dog ran away, while the third, a 7- to 8-month-old puppy, was too shocked to move. 11 January 08 *Croc threat:* *Mozambicans scramble to find dry land* Authorities in Mozambique are evacuating tens of thousands of people from flooded areas after torrential rains caused the Zambezi river to burst its banks. Soldiers are working with international relief agencies and the National Institute of Disaster Management to move people to temporary accommodation centers. Six people are known to have died in the floods. Four drowned and two were killed by crocodiles. United Nations resident coordinator for Mozambique, Ndolam Mgweke, says the situation is worsening by the day. http://www.sabcnews.com/africa/southern_africa/0,2172,162248,00.html 10 January 08 *Alligator will outgrow NM zoo habitat* Slinking into the corner of his blue plastic baby pool, sliding under the water with only his eyes and tip of his snout exposed, Wally the alligator made a hissing sound. “He’s all bluff,” Hillcrest Park Zookeeper Mark Yanotti said as Wally attempted to warn intruders away from his tub. “He’s really not that bad of a guy.” A donated former pet, Wally has been with the New Mexico, USA zoo around five years and has been easy to accommodate, but zookeepers know that will change. As his girth and length expand in the next couple years, the pool will be more like a puddle to him than the lagoon it is now. http://www.cnjonline.com/news/wally_24992___article.html/pool_zoo.html 10 January 08 Caiman caught on Brazilian street RIO DE JANEIRO (RIA Novosti) - Residents of Cariacica in Brazil's southeast state of Espirito Santo caught a caiman crocodile crawling down a street in the town, Brazilian environmental authorities said. The Institute for Environmental and Renewable Resources said the 1.7 meter/5.5 ft reptile weighing 40 kg/88 lbs will be released into the wild. The caiman reportedly emerged from a nearby lake, made its way into town and got lost on the streets. An eyewitness said many residents had seen the caiman before in the lake, but that "most did not believe it would be able to live so close to residential buildings." http://en.rian.ru/world/20080110/95983978.html 10 January 08 Wet weather flushes out crocs in Cairns The recent wild weather has flushed out crocodiles in far north Queensland, with two saltwater crocs spotted yesterday at Cairns beaches. Surf Life Saving far north Queensland services co-ordinator Ebeny Keating said a 2.5m crocodile was seen in the water in front of lifeguard huts at Kewarra Beach about 2.30pm, while a smaller croc was found sunbaking at Clifton Beach in the morning. Ms Keating said the Clifton Beach crocodile moved from the bank of a lagoon onto the beach by 11.30am, where lifeguards watched it closely, before it disappeared into the water. http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23032133-3102,00.html 09 January 08 *Two teens eaten by crocs in Africa* At least two people have been eaten alive by a six-metre/19.7 ft long Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) in northern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), police and wildlife officials said on Wednesday. Jozini police and KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife officials said they were investigating a report that a third person may have also been eaten alive by the same crocodile on Tuesday afternoon. Ezemvelo Wildlife spokesperson Maureen Zimo said a 15-year-old boy — who was fishing with his 11-year-old friend — was dragged down into the water and "eaten" by the crocodile at the Sibhicayi River in the Mduku area on Sunday. A police communications officer at the Jozini police station, who refused to be named, believed the boy was eaten in his entirety as police had been unable to find any remains. http://iafrica.com/news/sa/160737.htm *UPDATE:* *Divers search for teen crocodile victim* Police divers have been dispatched to find the remains of a 15-year-old boy who was killed by a crocodile in the Sibhicayi River at Mduku in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday. Two boys, aged 15 and 11, were fishing in the Sibhicayi River on Sunday when they were attacked by a crocodile. The younger boy managed to escape. Ezemvelo Wildlife spokesperson Maureen Zimo disputed an earlier media report that another attack had taken place on Tuesday, and that the crocodile in question was 6m/19.7 ft long. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20080111033959204C779206 *UPDATE:* *Nile croc claims another victim* Fourteen-year-old Musa Nsukwini screamed in fear as he tried to fight off a 6m-long crocodile. The teenager managed to pull himself free for a few seconds, desperately calling for help, but the reptile snatched him again and disappeared into the deep waters of Sibhicayi River in northern Zululand. On Thursday, Musa's two younger friends, from the Mduku area near Hluhluwe in northern Zululand, described how they watched in horror as their friend sank under the water in the jaws of his attacker. They told the Daily News that they would never forget how he was killed. http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=139&art_id=vn20080111105828427C977132 08 January 08 Aussie teen blames marijuana For his theft of crocodiles DARWIN, Australia (AP) — An Australian teenager blamed the influence of marijuana for his decision to steal two crocodiles and a monkey, local media reported Wednesday. Benjamin Glen Watts, 19, pleaded guilty in court Tuesday to twice breaking into a wildlife park on the outskirts of the tropical city of Darwin last July, Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio reported on its Web site. Watts said he planned to sell the stolen baby crocodiles and the marmoset but had been unable to find buyers, ABC reported. Crocodylus Park spokesman Grahame Webb said Wednesday the animals were returned unharmed. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gRtAxok0ESnHUE0bnIEpXuqpyLNgD8U259001 06 January 08 *Tampa zoo to feature albino alligators* Alligators are common at Florida wildlife attractions, but Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo has started work on a unique way of showcasing the state's signature reptile. A $1.5 million zoo expansion will house a pair of rare albino American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) and a water flume ride called "Gator Falls." It is all scheduled to open in April, in time for the 20th anniversary of the Lowry Park Zoological Society, the nonprofit organization that manages and develops the zoo. http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jan/03/lowry-zoo-attraction-feature-pair-albino-gators/ ^ BACK TO TOP	> ARCHIVE > NEWS POLICY
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The Solomon Islands Police Force, with the assistance of their RAMSI Participating Police Force counterparts, has successfully responded to villagers' concerns about crocodiles threatening their villages in the Gizo area last week.

A total of four crocodiles were caught in the operation that lasted four days and involved a number of police and local guides from Nimu Nimu, Buki and Bui Bui village areas.