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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
_________________________________________________
Week of 10 August 08
CROCTV:
22 July 08 Gator water dance
When you're a male gator looking for a mate, you don't need a dance floor to make all the right moves; the warm waters of the Everglades will do just fine, thank you. (Video: © National Geographic.) See it here.
14 August 08 St. Augustine Alligator Farm Receives Sylvan Learning honor
Sylvan Learning, a national provider of in-center and live, online tutoring at home to students, has released its Seven Summer Learning Wonders, locations around the nation that provide fun but educational experiences for parents and children, and has included among them the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in Florida.
Located in the nation’s oldest city, the zoo features wildlife from turtles, monkeys and wild birds, to the main attractions of crocodiles and alligators, including rare albino alligators and the 15-ft/4.6 m, 1200-pound/544 kg giant crocodile, "Maximo."
“Rather than filling summer days with video games and TV, there are a number of places for parents to take children that have educational but fun aspects,” said Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., senior vice president for education outreach for Sylvan Learning. “Each of Sylvan’s Seven Summer Learning Wonders has a tie to school subjects such as science, history and technology, and also makes great back-to-school stories to share with classmates.” (From a press release by Sylvan Learning.)
11 August 08
Taking two
alligators to the doctor Video link at URL below. A Florida reporter discovers the complications involved when one attempts to take two alligators – one at over 800 pounds/360 kilos - to a vet.
“Al and Allie hate going to the doctor. As you might have guessed, it's for their own good. But try telling that to two angry alligators”.
Try not to wrestle the gator when preparing them for their visit to the doctor.
"They bite, they roll, they run -- anything they can do to
try to leave, and basically what you have do when they do
that is let them do it. Don't try to restrain him, because
if you're going in a strength match, he's going to win every
time," Scott Gregory, Calusa Nature Center Resource
Naturalist says.
http://www.winknews.com/features/monday/26826739.html 11 August 08 Dams threaten Siamese crocs
The construction of hydro-electric dams in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains in central Cambodia will damage the habitat of an endangered species of Siamese crocodiles.
Scientists estimate that there was a population of 260-280 of the crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) currently living in the Cardamom Mountains and warned that flooding their habitat would reduce breeding opportunities.
"Cambodia is one of the last habitats for this species." "Some foreign tourists are also interested in seeing them - they are an eco-tourism attraction."
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2008081121121/National-news/Dams-threaten-Siamese-crocs.html 11 August 08 Crocodile babies emerge from eggshells
Indian wildlife lovers are jubilant as babies of estuarine crocodiles have emerged in the crocodile research farm of Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary.
As part of ‘rear and release' programme of these species, eggs collected from the wild were hatched artificially. Of the 78 eggs hatched this year, there has been emergence of 41 babies. From hardly a hundred, the croc population has swelled considerably over the years in Bhitarkanika with a total of 1498 crocs inhabiting local water bodies.
http://www.kalingatimes.com/orissa_news/news3/20080811-Crocodile-babies-emerge-out-of-eggshells.htm 10 August 08 Class teaches more than hunting gators
One writers short assessment of the interesting things to be learned during Mississippi’s alligator hunting class.
Gator Facts:
-
The largest American alligator ever reported in the wild was
over 19 feet on Marsh Island in Louisiana in the '40s. -
No alligators exceeding 14 feet have ever been verified by
wildlife officials in Mississippi. -
You can estimate the length of an alligator accurately by
the number of inches between its eyes and the tip of its
snout. Each inch will equal one foot. - Alligators are carriers of a deadly bacteria, A eronomus hybrophila. Contact with that bacteria and not bite trauma has caused a majority of deaths related to alligators in the U.S.
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080810/COL0503/808100341
South Africa’s Kruger National Park scientists remain baffled as to what has killed more than 130 crocodiles in the park's Olifants and Letaba rivers in the past two months.
A park spokesperson, brushed off as speculation reports that the deaths had been caused by mining near the park, or by pesticides used by farmers cultivating crops along the banks of the two rivers.
Tests did show that there were high levels of a number of pesticides in the Olifants River, but they were not high enough to kill crocodiles.
Danie Pienaar, the Kruger Park's head of scientific services, said that blue-green algae could be ruled out as the cause of the deaths and that the water in the Olifants River was safe for drinking. This week, the scientists, researchers and vets teamed up with Dr Fritz Huchzermeyer, a crocodile expert from the World Conservation Union, and specialists from universities and other institutions, for yet another attempt to unravel the mystery.
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=14&art_id=vn20080810082404443C512112 09 August 08 Letter: Croc's presence Shows rivers healthier
A
letter from a Singapore newspaper reader discusses the
environmental and practical implications of a crocodile
being found in Pasir Ris Park. http://www.straitstimes.com/vgnexttemplating/v/index.jspvgnextoid= 76597470ba2ab110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=f83275
8920e39010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD 08 August 08 A crocodile hunter's tales: Meet Robin Lee, 'official' trapperOf stray reptiles
A short item about the man that Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority turn to for catching Singapore’s wayward crocodiles, Mr Robin Lee.
A former crocodile farmer, Mr Lee would rather not say too much about how the authorities first approached him, some time in the last decade.
"I know how to handle crocodiles. I have been handling them my whole life."
But he added: "The moment you lose respect for them, accidents will happen.' "
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_266115.html 08 August 08 Probe into croc cruelty
Two South
African press items about officials trying to capture and
free a 3-metre/9
foot long crocodile that’s been 6-weeks without food after
it’s mouth had been taped shut.
An anti-poaching investigator has been given the job of
finding the culprit.
http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=817932 07 August 08 Croc’s mouth shut with tape
http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=817616 07 August 08 Croc dines on a mate
Photos at URL below.
It's a croc-eat-croc world in the Australian wilds of Cape
York. A 3.5m/11.5 ft saltie was photographed by fisherman Wayne Pierce as it was tucking into another croc in the Mission River at Weipa, 800km north of Cairns.
Croc cannibalism among adult crocodiles was rare, according to Weipa zoologist Lauren Collings told The Cairns Post , though adults do take juveniles.
http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2008/08/07/6060_local-news.html 07 August 08 Gator Baiters Busted: Everglades’ airboat captains caught feeding gators
Undercover Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers witnessed and photographed three airboat captains feeding alligators in western Broward County last month. “The actions of these individuals teach tourists and visitors it is OK to feed and touch American alligators,” said FWC lieutenant Rob Laubenberger. “This puts the lives of anyone imitating these actions in jeopardy. In addition, the gators will perceive humans as a source of food.”
http://www.floridasportsman.com/casts/080806/
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