05 December 07 

Croc found dead in Orissa sanctuary

 

Mystery shrouds the death of a rogue male estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) that had unleashed a reign of terror with its violent instinct in Orissa India's Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary.

 

Forest officials often used to sight the 16.2-foot/4.9 -metre-long reptile in and around Khola creek that connects the Bhitarkanika river system. It was feared for its hotheaded and intemperate instinct.

 

"The body did not bear any sign of external injury. Its death might have due to natural cause. Till the post mortem findings are received, we tempt to believe that the croc died a natural death. Still we are not ruling out possible killing of the reptile," said a forest official.

 

Though it did not kill humans for quite some time now, it has devoured three to four cattle in past months.

http://www.kalingatimes.com/orissa_news/news1/20071205-Croc-found-dead-in-Orissa-sanctuary.htm

 

05 December 07 

Crocodiles, flies, hippos

Terrify Ugandan residents

 

Ugandan residents in Mayuge are living in a state of fear due to threats posed by crocodiles, tsetse flies, hippopotami and wild pigs that have in recent times destroyed their crops.

 

The area's councillor said that the crocodiles kill an average of four people per month.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200712041133.html

 

04 December 07 

Crocs kill more than a dozen in a month

 

Authorities in Mozambique have reported the killing of 14 people in less than a month by crocodiles.

 

The victims were killed by crocodiles as they went about their daily chores - as fishermen, or when they went to fetch water in the Zambezi Rive.

 

In October more than 13 000 crocodile eggs were collected as a way of combating human-animal conflict.

 

The government has also authorised the national army to shoot problem animals.

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Africa&set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20071204095020722C298185

 

03 December 07 

Alligator shot on Mississippi highway

 

Two Pascagoula, Mississippi police officers, responding to several calls about an alligator lumbering up and down U.S. 90, had to kill the 8-foot/2.4-metre reptile when it lunged at them in an aggressive manner.

 

"The officers got out of their cars to see if they could find this alligator," the police chief said. "They kind of walked up on it. The alligator turned around on them in a threatening manner and that's when the officer shot. The officers said they were in fear for their safety."

http://www.gulflive.com/news/mississippipress/news.ssf?/base/news/1196680568102860.xml

 

03 December 07 

Don't smile at that crocodile

 

Australians are advised to give crocodiles a 10-metre/32-foot berth with new laws supporting the Queensland Crocodile Management Plan making it illegal to approach a two metre/six foot-long crocodile without a reasonable excuse.

 

Queensland's Sustainability Minister Andrew McNamara said the the laws also looked at the behaviour of crocodiles to determine if they could be defined as a problem.  "As far as I'm concerned, a two-metre saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) taking up residence in an urban area is a problem crocodile, and will be removed," he said.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,20797,22868370-3102,00.html?from=public_rss