Bunawan Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde stands over Lolong, the giant crocodile. Click image to see more photos. (AP)
Lolong, a man-eating beast feared by locals, has set a Guinness Book of World Records mark as the world's largest saltwater crocodile in captivity.
The giant crocodile measures
20.24 feet, weighs more than a ton and was blamed for several deaths
before its capture by officials in the southern Philippines town of
Bunawan in September, 2011.
And while Lolong has brought some
tourist dollars into the small town, its capture has also stirred fears
that other giant killer crocs might be lurking in the local waters.
"There were mixed feelings,"
Bunawan Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde told the Associated Press. "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."
In fact, Elorde says he spotted
an even larger crocodile escape when he and about 100 others combined
their efforts to capture Lolong. It took a combination of ropes and
cranes to bring in the giant crocodile, which was pursued after a child
was killed in 2009 and a fisherman went missing. Lolong was named after
an official who died of a heart attack after traveling to Bunawan to
assist in the capture.
Since its capture, Lolong has
become something of a tourist attraction and is the star of a new
ecotourism and research center in the town. And while the park has
brought in $72,000 in park fees since Lolong's debut, most of that money
goes to feeding and taking care of the crocodile.
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