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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.
Wes von Papineäu, News Page Editor Email: crocnews@crocodopolis.net _________________________________________________
Week of 4 May 08
24 March 08 'Dare to Explore': 'Suffering a Thousand cuts'
As a sign of entry into manhood, boys of this tribe suffer thousands of razor-blade cuts to make their skin resemble a crocodile's. Such a ritual demonstrates the anthropomorphic impact of crocodilians on various cultures. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGERY. See it here.
05 May 08 Patna zoo swarmed with gharials
In India, the Patna zoo a concern. It is facing a gharial crisis of plenty.
The gharials (the Indian Gharial, Gavialis gangeticus) want more space to live. Five years ago, they were just 13. Now, they are 129.
Zoo authorities are finding it hard to take care of these reptiles. Eleven big reptiles live in an enclosure meant for three, and about ninety young ones scramble for space in another corner.
Around 500 kg of fish are
required to feed these reptiles every month, way more than the zoo can
manage. Faced with such constraints, the zookeepers are even thinking of
releasing some of them into the Gandak river.
04 May 08 Big 'nuisance' gator killed off Dog River
In Alabama, an 11-foot, 3-inch/ 3.4 metre alligator that was captured and killed after it swam into the Buccaneer Yacht Club basin on Dog River on April 25 was likely a victim of a human feeding, said Gary Casper, 'nuisance' alligator control agent with the state Conservation Department.
"The gator was approaching people," said Casper. "Every time I'd throw a bait, he'd come to it, too, which shows he was being fed. A fed alligator is a dead alligator."
Casper said he is still trying to catch an alligator that left the water and chased a couple of children on the Eastern Shore last week.
"It appears to have been a big male that likely swam out of D'Olive Creek where people feed about 60 alligators all of the time," he said. "He's out there roaming, looking for female gators when he comes up on these kids. Well, when they don't throw him any food, he gets out of the water and wants to know why."
Casper said there is also a fine line between an alligator encounter and an alligator attack.
"A while back, some guys were riding Jet Skis in Dog River when they encountered an alligator and thought it would be fun to try to jump over its back," he said. "The alligator put up with it for a while until it finally had enough and snapped at one of the guys. Then it becomes an alligator attack and I got called."
"The hardest thing to do is kill anything. Even though they were here first, today we always take human rights over animal rights." http://www.al.com/sports/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/sports/1209892588188940.xml&coll=3 03 May 08 Zimbabwe encourages crocodile farming
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management (ZPWMA) is encouraging farmers to venture into crocodile farming as an income-generating project.
Crocodile farming is mostly practised in Kariba and areas along the Zambezi River while non-governmental organisation, Dollar Bubi is involved in the rearing of crocodiles in Nyamandlovu.
"There is a ready market outside the country even for the meat itself. So we are also looking at managing the wild crocodile population, which means it will cut down on people going out to get rid of crocodiles in the wild because they will now be breeding their own.," scientific division. http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=382&cat=8 01 May 08 Philippine boy killed in crocodile attack
A seven-year-old Philippine boy died while swimming after being attacked by a crocodile.
Personnel of the Palawan Wildlife Rescue Center have been dispatched to track down the crocodile responsible for the boy's death. 01 May 08 Crocodile egg eating competition To celebrate Thai Labor Day
Every Labour Day, Thailand's Pattaya Crocodile Farm holds a huge crocodile egg eating competition. Contestants had to eat a total of 10 crocodile eggs as quickly as possible to win a 10,000 Baht (US$315 / Euro 200) cash prize. http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_01_05_51.html
04 May 08 Trophy hunter cuts off croc's head
A Northern Territory woman was outraged to come across a beheaded 3m/9 ft croc in a Darwin waterway.
Department of Natural
Resources, Environment and the Arts wildlife officer Peter Phillips said
this sort of behaviour was disappointing. "We frown on this and there is
a $55,000 fine or a five-year jail sentence for anyone caught.
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2008/05/04/4030_ntnews.html 03 May 08 New crocodile house open to view
The first dedicated crocodile house to be built in the UK for 15 years has opened its doors to the public.
The £1.5m Crocodile Swamp at Paignton Zoo, Devon, is
home to three Cuban crocodiles - the only ones in England.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/7381928.stm 02 May 08 Guardian of gators in Guyana: Native works to save caiman
A keeper and supervisor at the Bronx and St. Louis zoos for nearly 20 years, reptile enthusiast Peter Taylor is currently leading a field study of the black caiman in the Rupununi region of Guyana.
Nearly 40 times smaller than Brazil, Guyana houses one of the world’s most biologically diverse environments, according to Mr. Taylor. Still largely intact, he said the country offers “a rare opportunity on a big impact scale to get ahead of the rapidly descending curve that we’re on for declining life on this planet.”
“It’s a spectacular understudied animal, it’s a
keystone species, it’s a major predator in an environment that is
dominated by rivers and aquatic systems,” he said.
http://www.acorn-online.com/news/publish/newcanaan/32926.shtml 25 April 08 What lies beneath? Fisherman says it's an alligator
New Hampshire Police responded to a report of an five foot/ 1.5 metre alligator sighting in Melendy Pond, however, a conservation officer, however, indicated that the animal might have been a large snapping turtle.
Fish & Game conservation officer Todd Szewczyk has received similar reports in the past where individuals have mistaken large snapping turtles for alligators. Snapping turtle can measure up to 14 inches and weigh up to 70 pounds, according to Fish & Game.
The most recent case of an alligator found in the
New Hampshire wild was in September of 2007 — in Nashua. While fishing
on the Nashua River a Hudson man reeled in an 18-inch American
alligator. That animal was captured by Nashua authorities and taken to a
reptile center in Massachusetts.
http://www.stpns.net/view_article.html?articleId=98041004355419145
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