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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 22 July 07
25 July 07 Croc hunter challenges Irwins A crocodile hunter is challenging the Irwin family to a public debate about the predators, accusing them of not knowing what they're talking about. In an attack on the credibility of the croc cult, taxidermist Mick Pitman is attacking the north Queensland crocodile research centre to be built in memory of the late Steve Irwin. The photo at left is of Pitman. Link 2: http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/croc-hunter-challenges-irwins-to-debate/20073425-ppv.html
27 July 07 It's just a huge croc
This volley of the Oz ‘Crocodile Cull- No Cull Wars’ finds Whitsunday Crocodile Safari owner Steve Watson expressing his concern that the people most likely to get into trouble with Australian crocodiles are not tourists, but blasé locals.
He was speaking in response to the release of a State Government survey which showed crocodile numbers had not exploded. Although there had been no obvious increase in crocodile numbers Whitsunday people were urged to take proper precautions in crocodile country.
Mr. Watson said he was not surprised the survey showed there was no real increase in crocodile numbers.
"We were watching three crocodile nests and then a flood came through on February 1 and all three nests failed." He said people who claimed there had been an explosion in crocodile numbers and called for culls were uninformed.
26 July 07 Gator becomes teacher's pet - Reptile found by teen now examined by veterinary students
David Swedine, whose reptile rescue organization, Reptilesmiles of Norton, took custody of the 4-foot alligator from the Humane Society of Greater Akron, Ohio, last week, used the gator and other reptiles in an educational demonstration in Lori Mussleman's Veterinary Assistant class at the Northcoast Medical Training Academy in Kent.
"I rescue reptiles and try to find them a home,'' said Swedine, who works as an auto technician when he is not operating his reptile rescue service. He said he is caring for about 40 reptiles.
He named the gator from Summit Lake "Sandy'' and said the plan is for someone from a reptile rescue service to pick it up, or he will take it to a similar organization in Cincinnati. Ultimately, it is to be taken to a Florida alligator sanctuary.
For more on Swedine's organization, go to
http://www.reptilesmiles.org
or call 330-825-2994 or email him at
reptilesmiles@hotmail.com.
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/17543118.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_news 25 July 07 Gator on the loose in Ossining pond
Beware of alligators - in Ossining, New York?
Aaron McDuffie
almost couldn't believe his eyes yesterday when he looked over and saw a
3-foot/metre-long reptile sunning itself alongside Somerstown Road. Town police were called and, before long, wildlife experts and nonexperts descended on the private pond for a massive alligator hunt, the kind one might expect to see in, say, Orlando.
The reported sighting at 11 a.m. prompted Mario Velardo of the parks department to buy raw chicken from the local supermarket and stick it on a giant meat hook he found in his garage. He then attached it to a piece of rope and tossed it into the algae-coated pond.
"You always see them using meat on those shows on the Discovery Channel," he explained. "I don't know - If the alligator's hungry, hopefully he'll eat it."
As
Velardo fished from the shore, Jim Horton, of Qualitypro Pest & Wildlife
Services in Hawthorne, sat in a rowboat, poking around with a pole as he
floated across the pond. "I always wanted to deal with alligators.
I even thought of moving to Florida," Horton said, explaining how he
would jump on the gator if it popped up, then grab hold of its snout to
control it.
http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070725/NEWS02/707250365 24 July 07 Endangered Crocs Make A Comeback - Nuclear Power Plant Is Key To The Reptiles' Resurgence
At the height of the crocodile hatching season, it’s croc researcher Joe Wasilewski's job to catch and catalogue the hundreds of baby American Crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) that have come out of their shells. He's the crocodile caretaker at Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant.
When Florida Power and Light built its plant, the company also created a cooling system for it. "I think what you'll find is that it has the side effect of creating a great environment for the crocodiles," Kevin O'Hare of Florida Power and Light says.
The high ground is so ideal for laying crocodile
eggs that Turkey Point has become an enormous crocodile nursery. It's
now home to about 500 full-grown crocodiles — a quarter of the country's
entire adult crocodile population.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/24/eveningnews/main3094681.shtml
20 July 07 TP. Ho Chí Minh: Cá sau song chuong
I’m
betting that this is a Vietnamese item about crocodile farming … either
that or it is one on how to take better close-up photography!
However, ‘Cá sau’
is mentioned over 25 times, so I feel I’m on pretty safe ground here
posting this. Anyone?
http://tintuc.timnhanh.com/xa_hoi/20070720/35A62BC9/
24 July 07 Man bitten and bruised by croc 14 times Manages to escape
A 60-year-old Malaysian man was bitten numerous times while bathing in a local river.
“I was waddling in the water when I felt a sharp pain and the crocodile’s tail whipped me more than five times. Despite pain, I swam ashore and sought help from my family who rushed me to the Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital,” said Ibrahim Yaakub.
Altogether, he suffered 14 bites or
bruises on his hand and left leg but he counts himself fortunate since
he managed to wriggle free. Ibrahim claims
the crocodile had a yellowish streak at its tail and measured 8
metres/26 feet.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/24/nation/20070724153903&sec=nation 23 July 07 Crocodile breeding in Iran Gets religious go-ahead
Iran's Islamic authorities have issued a fatwa, or religious order, allowing people to breed crocodiles for their hides and other purposes. However, the order, in line with Islamic law still bans the use of crocodile meat for human consumption.
The fatwa
authorises the use of croc skin and meat for clothing, accessories, the
treatment of cancer and pet food
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Religion/?id=1.0.1133022581 17 July 07 Nil-Krokodil soll In Kairo gefangen werden
In Cairo,
Egypt, locals are excited by the reported appearance of a 5 metre/16
foot-long Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) in local
waterways. http://www.nachrichten.ch/detail/281653.htm
23 July 07 Rare crocodiles need new home
In Welland, Ontario, Blade and Suede, a pair of rare Orinoco Crocodiles (Crocodylus intermedius) from Venezuela, are not the happiest couple in their current enclosure at the Seaway Serpentarium Reptile Zoo.
Right now, the two are separated by a partition because Blade and Suede are fighting. The tank doesn’t give the two crocodiles enough space to live in harmony, said Karel Fortyn, zoo owner and curator.
Fortyn hopes to keep his crocodilian zoo in Welland, because with the proper space it could become a real draw for tourists. Of course it all depends on how much money can be raised. If all else fails, the owners will have to consider either finding the crocodiles a new home or getting a new facility elsewhere. “We’ve been in Welland since 1983, so we want to keep it here. Welland needs this more than Niagara Falls,” said Fortyn.
“There are less than 250 Orinoco crocodiles left in the wild,” said Dave Moore, Seaway Serpentarium public relations. “Only seven are in captivity worldwide. So they are very rare. And the largest of the species is in Welland.”
(These numbers quoted by Moore are not correct, but his underscoring of the crocodile's conservation needs are certainly appropriate. - I. D.) http://www.wellandtribune.ca/webapp/sitepages/search/results.asp?contentid=
623648&catname=Local%20News&type=search&search1=crocodiles 23 July 07 Chinese border police Seize 270 smuggled crocodiles
Police in southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang
Autonomous Region have seized 270 crocodiles smuggled from Vietnam which
were apparently to be used for making fashion accessories. Border
police said that some underground leather factories bought crocodile
skins to make shoes and bags. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/China/Chinese_border_police_seize_270_smuggled
_crocodiles/articleshow/2227689.cms 23 July 07 Monster croc's head taken as trophy
A monster crocodile shot by police last week in
the Northern Territory's Daly river has been found beheaded. (see 17
July 07 Bullet-ridden monster croc
euthanized). The wound indicated that
the head was definitely cut off.
Three other crocodiles were found with their heads
cut off as trophies on the Daly River in July last year.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22117892-17001,00.html 21 July 07 Store employees bag 3-foot gator on loose
In Carlstadt, New Jersey, a 3-foot/metre-long alligator walked into the back door of a storage-space design business, startling 30 employees and puzzling authorities about how the reptile arrived in the Meadowlands.
"The rear door was propped open," Lt. William Ochiuzzo said. "He managed to walk through the door. They kind of cornered him to keep him from going any further."
Once the area was secure, police waited for authorities with the Clifton Animal Control, who then turned the reptile over to the state Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife.
"I've picked up
an iguana and a lizard, but never this," said Robert Boyle, a Clifton
animal control officer. "Best we can figure, it was somebody's pet that
was let go. It probably was just wandering through looking for food."
Croc research centre To be Irwin memorial
The Australian Federal Government will provide $6.25m to buy a 135,000ha property north of Weipa on the Cape York Peninsula for a crocodile research centre named in Irwin's honour.
"This is a good partnership between the commonwealth and state governments to recognise perhaps one of our greatest Australians," said Premier Peter Beattie. "This is a win for crocodile research, it's a tribute to Steve Irwin."
It is
understood Terri Irwin will be involved in managing the area and
overseeing research.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22106601-5005961,00.html 20 July 07 Crocodile war
Australian Crocodile experts have responded to the State Government's croc survey claiming the only way the reptiles' numbers would be declining would be if crocs were eating each other competing for food.
Environment Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr released results from the department's 2007 survey of crocodiles which suggest crocodile numbers in the North are not exploding, they are in fact dwindling.
But Charles Darwin University crocodile expert Dr. Corey Bradshaw was dubious about the survey's results. "Overall the densities might be underestimated," Dr. Bradshaw said, "That's what generally happens when you do these surveys. You don't see all the animals. "I just find that extremely low and unbelievable."
"It's estimated in the Territory that up to 60 per cent of all crocodiles are outside the main river channels.
Michaela Johnston, business manager for former Queensland croc hunter 'Crocodile' Mick Pitman, said the figures simply did not add up. "The only way crocodile numbers would be decreasing would be if the bigger crocs were eating the smaller ones."
On the southern side of the Burdekin River, grazier Don Heatley said the amount of crocs near his property seemed to have increased dramatically during the past 50 years.
Hinchinbrook MP Andrew Cripps said regardless of the survey's results, the fact remained there had been an increase in the number of reports of close encounters with crocodiles in North Queensland.
"If Minister
Nelson-Carr is going to use this survey as an excuse to put her head
back in the sand in relation to our current crocodile management
legislation, then she remains out of touch with the strong sentiments of
the majority of North Queenslanders who recognise that changes need to
be made to improve public safety," Mr. Cripps said.
http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2007/07/20/4819_hpnews.html 20 July 07 Gators unlikely in lake
Owners of small pets on Lake Lanier, Georgia, USA can relax. Reports of alligators roaming the shores have not been confirmed.
But while not impossible, the presence of the big
reptiles in a man-made lake so far north of their natural habitat is
highly unlikely, wildlife officials say. "We do get calls from
time to time," said Scott Frazier, a Department of Natural Resources
wildlife biologist. "It's a large body of water accessed by tens of
thousands of people. There could potentially be an alligator that
somebody dumped in there. We take it seriously in that regard."
http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/stories/20070720/localnews/185868.shtml
23 July 07 Letter: Life is scary on alligator pond
A letter from a Florida reader is against a local initiative to leave ‘natural buffers’ along the watersite edges and letting nature do its thing:
Apparently, gators in a pond near her home are preying on herons, rabbits and possibly neighbourhood dogs.
“So, regarding
the no-mow zone: I do not wish to see gators given another 6-foot
covering in which to hide.”
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20070723/OPINION/707230380/1029 23 July 07 Alligator found in Idaho
In Idaho, a report (and video) of a small alligator found roaming a rural front yard.
Yard owner Riley Hix: "Me and my Grandpa were just sitting watching TV and the doorbell rings. So we go answer it and somebody says did you lose an alligator? And we're like no and so she brought us out and there was an alligator sitting on our lawn."
That alligator
was taken to the Tautphaus Park Zoo until law enforcement can either
find the owner or find a permanent home for it.
http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=6824040 22 July 07 Out of Office AutoReply: I’ve gone to wrestle an alligator
The UK’s Times reports that the “best spot for gator wrestling” in the USA is in (Alamosa) Colorado.
For $100 (£49), you get introduced to a pit with dozens of the critters and subsequently introduced to the gentle, albeit manly art, of subduing three-five-and in time, 7-foot/2.1 metre gators.
“…the first rule written in your release form is: “No whining if you get bit.”
Confidence is all: change your mind while trying to grab one and he’ll scarper – or try to gnaw you. The key is stealth, and trying to get one on its own. Be warned: trying to separate a 200 lb/91 kg gator from its buddies is not as easy as your teacher makes it sound – “just grab its tail and pull back!” – but you’re taught what to do if it turns towards you and starts snapping (keep hold and jump in the opposite direction to the movement of the head).
Complete the one-day course and you’ll be invited
back in August to the annual Gatorfest competition. Then all you need to
do is bag the biggest beast in the shortest time and you’re the coolest
guy in Colorado.
http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/features/article2108677.ece 21 July 07 Old Okefenokee alligator 'Oscar' is dead
Oscar, a 12 foot 9 inch/3.9 metre, 1,000 lb/450 kg alligator who has been at Okefenokee Swamp Park in Georgia, USA since it opened in 1945, has died of natural causes.
When the park was being built in 1945, Oscar was a resident and already a mature alligator.
In 2000, Howard Hunt, curator of reptiles at Zoo Atlanta, said that Oscar was likely Georgia's largest alligator and perhaps the largest in the country especially after a 14-foot alligator was killed in Florida that weighed 800 pounds.
Although he never hurt anyone, a few dogs lost
their lives to Oscar, Jimmy Walker, retired manager of the park, told
the Times-Union.
Pets weren't allowed in the park, but a few people tied their dogs to
trees near the edge of canals making them easy prey.
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/072107/geo_185930023.shtml
23 July 07 Gator road trip!
A Harrisburg, Pennsylvania station gives us a video report on a local man is pushing for a new law that would make it illegal to sell or crocodilians.
So why would people buy an alligator if they know its going to grow?
Jesse Rothacker od Forgotten Friend, Inc.: “That's my question. You can make a mistake with a turtle, or even a snake, but everyone knows what an alligator is.”
Jesse is now lobbying state Senators
to write something up to make it illegal to sell alligators
and crocodiles in Pennsylvania.
http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=2a091d1e-cb79-4088-b2f9-54709a284bb5 22 July 07 Gators for the taking
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks is now offering this years’ permits for gator hunting.
"The reason (for seasons) is pretty simple," said Larry Castle, chief of game for the Department of Wildlife. "There is a resource that's expanding and being utilized as an opportunity for recreation to manage the resources. We have been monitoring counts in the river systems for 10 years."They have bounced back so well that they are often, in many areas, a nuisance and are causing problems for people who are feeding them".
Applications, filed by Mississippi
residents only, can be submitted electronically through any
point-of-sale license agent selling hunting and fishing
licenses. A $5 fee applies and hunters must be at least 16
years old. The deadline is Aug. 1.
http://www.sunherald.com/sports/story/103578.html O f Lake Jackson gator
The Humane Society of the United States is offering $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever shot and killed an alligator in Lake Jackson.
Several residents, including Nancy McGrath, had enjoyed watching the gator. McGrath said she learned the habits of the eight-foot creature she nicknamed "Big Guy." From her home overlooking Meginniss Arm, McGrath watched as the gator sunned himself or courted females.
The gator couldn't have been shot legally because alligator season hasn't begun and trappers of nuisance alligators are required to remove the animals.
The state wildlife agency also offers rewards up to $1,000 for information on wildlife violations.
To report a wildlife
violation, call 1-888-404-FWCC or go online to myfwc.com/law/Alert.
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070721/NEWS01/707210344/1010
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