The people in the Philippines town Bunawan have plenty of reasons to rejoice. For one, the giant crocodile that once preyed on villagers has been caught. And two, Lolong, the one-ton beast, has brought the town fame now that it has been named the world’s largest saltwater crocodile in captivity in the world.
The Associated Press reports that Lolong was caught by locals last September. Today, the Guinness Book of World Records declared that the 20.24 feet, 1000 pound crocodile was the largest in captivity.
At the time of the crocodile’s capture, Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde said:
“There were mixed feelings. We’re really proud because it proves the rich biodiversity of our place but at the same time, there are fears that Lolong may not be alone.”
Eldorde said that he saw a second giant crocodile during Lolong’s capture and he is worried that another man-eating crocodile may be in the surrounding waters.
On the bright side, however, the capture of Lolong has given the town a spike in tourism. A new ecotourism park has been established at the outskirts of Bunawan which has drawn thousands of tourists to see the giant crocodile.
Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje said that the new world record title could help the zoo bring in more people. It could also help to show people that it is important to protect the biodiversity near Bunawan.
Here’s a video showing Lolong’s capture.
Here’s a video from the AFP about Lolong.