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CROCODOPOLIS world of crocodilians TM SCIENCE · CULTURE · INDUSTRY · NEWS · COMMUNICATION · CONSERVATION
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NEWS
THE CROC PRESS Regular coverage of crocodilians and people in headlines worldwide.
By Wes von Papineäu News Page Editor Email: crocnews@crocodopolis.net _________________________________________________
Week of 04 February 07
10 February 07 Police discover alligator During
drug bust in Wa. 09 February 06 Police seize snake, alligator From gang leader
In
the two items above, we see a pet peeve of your News Editor's - the
association of herps with unsavory or illegal activities.
The stories that I track over the years have usually involved
large snakes or gators/crocs and some linkage with organized crime, more
often than not drug dealers.
What
perplexes and frustrates me to no end is that the discovery of the 'herp
in a house' usually gets more press column-length than does the original
reason for the drug-bust or raid!
The herps involved are doubly indicted by the press coverage,
once for being 'fierce' (Ed: Excuse me, but you just kicked my door
in!) and then for association with known criminals! (Ed: Part of
some underground activity.)
From
Buckley, Washington we hear that Sheriff's deputies found a four-ft/1.2
m alligator in a bedroom closet during a drug bust.
On
the Caribbean isle of Antigua and Barbuda we get news of a baby
alligator being seized (and subsequently immediately euthanised) from a
gang hideout. http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_020907_news_alligator_bust.6adc6 http://www.antiguasun.com/paper/?as=view&sun=390334089702092007&an=2528
08 February Croc conservation group Readies Miami fundraiser
The Tomistoma Task Force, the group of experts charged with helping to conserve the rare Malayan Gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii), is making final preparations for its 'Night for the Crocs' charity fundraiser in Miami, Florida. Tickets are still being sold for the event, which will feature TV personality/herpetologist Brady Barr. http://www.crocodopolis.net/newsttffundraiser.htm
07
February 07
Frozen in time
A
short piece from Australia on the genteel art of crocodile taxidermy.
My
Quote of the Day (QOTD) has to be: “Ewin is surrounded by detailed
photographs of the crocodile from all angles. "It's a bit like a
young girl having posters of her favourite pop star!”
06
February 07
Family lives with croc - for two years
From
Zimbabwe we learn about a Chisipite family that has kept a free-range,
frog-eating crocodile-lifeguard in the family yard for the past two
years…and the subsequent reaction of wildlife authorities. On
one side the family claimed: “We were not afraid because it was very
friendly and used to having people around. We could even hold it." The
official line was: "This crocodile could have adapted to living
with the McFarlands, but it does not mean it was not capable of harming
the neighbours. The behaviour of a crocodile is also not
predictable." http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=14923&cat=10
06
February 07
Motorists beware
Why
did the crocodiles cross the road?
Australian
crocs have been ‘flushed’ out of their usual haunts and are now
lurking in recently flooded area...including along highways.
Of five recent incidents, a Giru farmer was bitten after he
tried to take a happy snap with a snappy freshwater croc (there were
no indications if he had Belgian relatives or not - see the story
"Outcry
at Stefaan's croc shock" located here), and a police car
was ‘charged’ by a “cranky saltie”. One
resident of Giru reported seeing a “family” of salties (Ed: Aww
… aren’t they sweet?), including a six metre-long/19-
footer, a three metre-long/nine footer and several babies, in the dam
just a couple of hundred metres from town. http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,21177869%255
05
February 07
Crocodile disrupts swimming class
A
BBC story (and video link) about Darwin, Australia schoolchildren
turning up at a pool for a morning dip, only to find that a 1.6 m/5 ft
-long crocodile had gotten there first.
It
took two hours to get the croc out of the pool and taken away to a
nearby croc farm.
04
February 07
Orissa Forest Department To improve care of `Gori'
From
India we learn that wildlife officials are to improve the living
conditions of 'Gori', a 32-year-old female, rare white crocodile held
captive in Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary. The pond housing Gori is
fenced with barbed wire and no attention had been paid in the past to
improve the silted-up habitat of the famous reptile.
A
Wildlife Research Officer in the Forest Department said that Gori,
hatched and bred by the department as a part of the crocodile
conservation programme, is being provided all care in the sanctuary pen
and is in excellent health.
Gori
has lived in isolation since birth, has refused mating efforts and even
lost an eye in a clash with a courting partner. http://www.kalingatimes.com/orissa_news/news/20070204_Orissa_for_proper_
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