Wednesday, 22 June 2011

Hunt on for crocodile that killed man in Palawan - gmanews.tv

22 June 2011

Authorities are hunting down a crocodile that attacked and killed a man in Palawan province.

The brutalized body of the victim, whose left foot ripped off, was found early on Wednesday, radio dzBB's Palawan affiliate reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, the relatives of the victim saw teeth marks on the man's body.

The victim reportedly left his house in Rio Tuba village in Bataraza town in Palawan before dawn Tuesday.

When his body was found early on Wednesday, it bore several wounds and the right foot was missing.

The report quoted his relatives as saying the crocodile may have attacked him in the armpit first before biting off his foot.

Playing chicken with a croc... - youtube

Wouldn't advise anyone to try this at home...

Tuesday, 21 June 2011

What every cat should have!

My next cat will most definitely have one of these!


Monday, 20 June 2011

Monkey attack spurs debate on exotic pet ownership - sanduskyregister.com

20 June 2011

Register photo/MELISSA TOPEY Boots, a 19-inch American alligator belonging to Daniel Madrigal, has been with his owner for four years.

The escape of a grivet monkey that terrorized children in Fremont last week illustrated the problems that can arise when well-intentioned pet owners try to tame wild animals.

Animal rights groups openly criticize the ownership of exotic animals, but some owners say it's possible to have pets that are unique and manageable.

Daniel Madrigal of Fremont has owned his alligator, Boots, for four years.

Madrigal walked into a pet shop looking for a dog. He fell in love with the alligator instead.

"I had never seen anything like an alligator," said Madrigal, a native of California, which bans exotic pets. "I really like it. People come over and say, 'Oh man, you have an alligator! Neighborhood kids come over when I have it outside."

The reptile was about 11 inches from head to tail and weighed just a pound when he brought it home.

Since then, the alligator has grown to 19 inches.

Madrigal is raising young children alongside Boots, so he's very cautious when he lets the alligator out of his tank.

"You have to control the situation. You tell everyone he is an animal, he will bite and if you want to touch him, touch his tail," Madrigal said.

If the alligator becomes aggressive, Madrigal said he would have no choice but to humanely put the animal down.



Alligator Shot, Killed In Maury County - newschannel5.com

20 June 2011

A two and a half foot alligator was spotted not along the Gulf, but in Middle Tennessee. A man in rural Maury County came outside to find the sharp toothed creature snapping at his dog. The homeowner shot the gator and called animal services.

Maury County Animal Services refused to disclose exactly where the gator was found but said it was somewhere along Greens Mill Road between Mahlon Moore Road and Clara Matthews Road.

"I've been around here for 31 years and never heard of an alligator," said neighbor Brian Smith. "I'm done getting into the creeks."

The gator carcass was taken to the animal shelter and has now been disposed of. Officials think likely it was once somebody's pet and was let loose or got loose.

"I hope it escaped and they didn't just turn in loose," said Maury County Mayor Jim Bailey. "That wouldn't be a very good thing to do, to let somebody else take care of it."

State wildlife officials said it is illegal to keep gators as pets. Only 12 alligators have been found in Tennessee in the last ten years. Most are spotted in the Southwest part of the state near the Mississippi River.



Croc haunt draws curious crowds - jamaicaobserver.com

20 June 2011

SCORES of curious onlookers have been flocking to a crocodile haunt in Hellshire, St Catherine recently to catch a glimpse of the fascinating creatures, but the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is warning the public to stay away.

The spot, called 'Alligator Bridge', is just metres away from the roundabout leading to Fort Clarence Beach, and is about five minutes drive from a number of residential communities, has been a major nesting site for crocodiles for decades, NEPA officials said.

Curious onlookers at ‘Alligator Bridge’ in Hellshire, St Catherine peer into the murky swamp in an effort to catch a glimpse of crocodiles nesting in the area. The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is warning persons to stay away for their own safety. (Photo: Rhoma Tomlinson)

When the Observer visited the area last Wednesday evening, a number of curious onlookers including children, were seen leaning over the bridge wall trying to catch a glimpse of the creatures, who surfaced regularly. On occasion, children were left unattended while their curious parents tried to snap photos.

There is no visible barrier preventing access to the crocodile infested waters by members of the public. Some weeks ago, the area between the swamp and the land was cordoned off with a yellow tape to warn onlookers of the danger. However, there was no tape when the news team visited the site on Wednesday.

One Hellshire resident commented that it was a strange phenomenon to see the creatures surfacing at the sound of human voices given that crocodiles usually flee from sound and commotion.

"Dem soon come out and eat up all a wi weh live a Hellshire," she said.

Reports are that persons have even been feeding the crocs with uncooked chicken meat, while others have been throwing particles of food into the waters below the bridge to get them to come closer to their human visitors.

But NEPA officials say this is a dangerous practice.

"We have to ask the public to avoid the area," said Natalie Fearon, public relations officer at NEPA. She added that the 'Alligator Bridge' area in Hellshire is a popular nesting site for the reptiles, which reproduce their young between February and August each year.

"It's the human intervention that's causing a problem... people need to leave them be. When it becomes a problem is when someone decides to do something outside of the norm," she said.

The curious onlookers have reportedly caused traffic to pile up along the Hellshire Road, especially on a Sunday when busloads of persons head to the beaches at Fort Clarence and Hellshire.

NEPA officials told the Observer that they are working closely with Urban Development Corporation (UDC) rangers and the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF) to keep human beings away from crocodile-prone areas.

"They should be avoided anywhere you see them. We've put out notices with specific information about the crocodiles and people harassing and molesting them in that area... at one point, police had to be marshalling the area to get the traffic moving," Fearon told the Observer.

The NEPA official said if members of the public feel they're at risk of being harmed by a crocodile, "call NEPA, we'll send our officers out to assess the situation and remove them if we have to," she said.

This is not the first time that residents in Portmore and Hellshire have had close encounters with the reptiles.

Earlier this year, a man was attacked by one of the reptiles while fishing in a lake near to Fort Clarence, which is close to the 'Alligator Bridge'. The man, a resident of Hellshire, reportedly fought off the crocodile and escaped major injury.

Residents of Greater Portmore have also reported spotting crocodiles in their roadside drains when it rains heavily and water level rise.

Meanwhile, NEPA is reminding members of the public that the creatures are protected under the Wildlife Act, and persons who kill or harass them could be fined up to $100,000 or be sentenced to one year in prison.


Alligators Still at Large After Escape from Farm - firstcoastnews.com

20 June 2011

    According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, an investigator received a call from a local nuisance-alligator trapper, saying eight 4- to 6-foot alligators had been captured over four days.

    The alligators were found in a housing development, but the investigator found a gator farmer nearby.

    According to an FWC statement, "the alligator farmer was surprised to learn that of his 18 alligators, only one remained in the enclosure."

    They had escaped by digging a hole under a fence.

    The farmer, who had a license for the farm but now has surrendered it, was cited for maintaining wildlife in an unsafe/unsanitary condition. He had 20 animals, two of which died.

    Eight alligators are still missing; the recaptured alligators have been sent to permitted farms.



    New arrivals for mini crocodiles at Newquay attraction - bbc.co.uk

    20 June 2011

    A four-foot-long crocodile which has just been moved to a Cornish attraction has laid more than 20 eggs.


    The Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman, called Nibbles, arrived at the Blue Reef Aquarium in May with her partner Gnasher, from London Zoo.

    The move was part of a new Amazon-themed freshwater feature at the aquarium.

    The Newquay-based aquarium designed the display with a nesting area as the pair were already showing signs of mating.

    'Major shock'

    Matt Slater from the aquarium said: "We had noticed that the female had been off her food and had been looking more and more swollen around the belly, but to come in and discover the nest of eggs was still a major shock.

    "We have been consulting with keepers at Durrell Wildlife on Jersey who have experience of captive-breeding Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman about the best approach.

    "We've decided to remove some of the eggs from the nest and put them into an incubator as it's unlikely they would hatch without some outside assistance."

    Incubation usually takes up to three months and, when they do hatch, the babies may take several days before they enter the water.

    In the wild it is thought that the female will dig up the nest and direct the hatchlings towards water in response to their calls.

    The Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman is the smallest surviving member of the crocodilian family found in northern and central parts of South America.

    The new exhibition which features the Cuvier's dwarf caiman recreates the South American miniature crocodiles' flooded forest habitat.

    Sri Lanka to establish a crocodile park - colombopage.com

    20 June 2011

    Sri Lanka Wildlife Department has decided to establish a crocodile park in Muthurajawela marshes situated just south of Negombo.

    The Director General of Wildlife Department Dr. Chandrawansa Pathiraja said the park would benefit the persons researching the reptiles.

    The lagoon, the river mouth and the mangrove in Muthurajawela is considered an ideal surrounding for the reptiles, wild life officials say.

    The Wildlife Director General further said that the park would also be a habitat for destitute crocodiles.


    Crocodile attacks along River Tana - ntv.co.ke

    20 June 2011

    US TV snares NT croc wrestler - ntnews.com.au

    20 June 2011

    A BLOKE who got his first outback television exposure in the Territory is about to become a crocodile-wrestling international TV star.

    Matthew Wright, based on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland has signed with Nat Geo Wild - National Geographic's US-based wildlife channel.

    That would mean being in 90 million homes in 90 countries in 37 languages.

    His previous fame was a single appearance on Channel 7 in 2009 showing him catching a 5.6m, 850kg crocodile in the NT.

    The male croc was trapped on La Belle cattle station, about 200km southwest of Darwin.

    Wright was a helicopter pilot paid to relocate rogue crocs in the Top End.

    Although he spent time in various places including Cairns, Papua New Guinea and south of Adelaide, Wright headed to the Territory after school.

    While he worked at Kings Canyon Resort in Watarrka National Park, he came to the attention of the local parks and wildlife staff for having "a few snakes and scorpions" in his room.

    After various jobs he started mustering cattle by helicopter then wildlife relocation, which was where he came to the attention of Channel 7.

    National Geographic Channel's head Geoff Daniels described him as a "wild-world action hero".

    "He's like the Lone Ranger, riding in to save people and animals in distress but his horse is a helicopter and he uses a rope instead of a gun."

    US TV snares NT croc wrestler - ntnews.com.au

    Sunday, 19 June 2011

    Gator baiters line up quickly for thrill of hunt -news-press.com

    19 June 2011

    It’s the closest anyone ever will get to Jurassic Park.

    Almost 6,000 thrill seekers have surrendered $272 each — out-of-state residents pay $1,022 — to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for a license to kill Alligator mississippiensis, once known to Spanish explorers as “el lagarto,” the lizard.

    There’s a two-alligator-per-person limit and applicants need to hurry.

    South Florida permits disappeared quickly. Go to myfwc.com and follow the links to the statewide alligator harvest program to learn more.

    Worldwide recession and jobless-recovery notwithstanding, the annual statewide hunt remains popular, said commission wildlife biologist Steve Stiegler.“The response has been good this year,” he said.

    Hunted to near extinction, alligators landed on the endangered species list in 1967. They rebounded and were downgraded to threatened in 1987. Rough estimates put the Florida population at 1.3 million.

    Alligators appear in all 67 Florida counties, from lakes and rivers and swamps to the occasional golf course, downtown retention pond or suburban swale.

    The alligator ranges from Oklahoma and Arkansas to North Carolina and males can grow longer than 14 feet. The Florida record, 14 feet, 31⁄2 inches, was bagged last year on Lake Washington in Brevard County. Captive alligators have lived for 75 years.

    They are considered reptiles, but are more closely related to birds and dinosaurs. They have devastating jaws that can crack turtle shells like peanuts. Their muscular tail can land a blow like a 2-by-4 and swamp a canoe.

    They are hunted mostly at night, when their avian eyes glow red and menacing just above the water’s surface.

    Even after fighting on a line for more than hour, the big ones can be hard to kill.

    Some hunters have learned the hard way not to bother with small-caliber ammunition.

    “You can actually bounce a .22 off of a gator’s head,” said Pete Kinnamon, a veteran outdoorsman from Lakeland who for 26 years held a license as a nuisance alligator trapper.

    A common way to deliver the coup de grace is with a bang stick. The long metal rod has a cylinder at one end that holds a projectile. The firing pin activates when the rod is jammed against the alligator’s skull.

    Kinnamon’s homemade bang stick holds a .357 magnum or .44 magnum shell. The user gets one shot before having to reload.

    “When you’re standing in the water reeling him in and he’s coming between your legs, you want to get him the first time,” Kinnamon said.

    Kinnamon, 64, has long since given up the hunt. Almost every encounter ended predictably and he never suffered a serious injury.

    But alligators started to change and he wondered how long his luck would hold. As their habitat shrank and human contact became more common, alligators grew bolder, Kinnamon said.

    “They started hunting me,” he said. “They’ve gotten to where they just don’t have a fear of people.”

    These days, Kinnamon has gone into the tanning business and hawks alligator products from his website.

    Hide prices collapsed two to three years ago with the onset of the recession. Exclusive retailers, the kind who sell jewel-encrusted alligator purses for $190,000 and men’s full-length alligator leather coats for $150,000, demand flawless hides and that usually means farm raised.

    The price of wild hides plunged from $55 or more per foot to $15 or less.

    Lane Stephens, a lobbyist who also holds the nuisance trapping license for Gadsden County, said the point is the thrill of the hunt.

    “A lot of it is the chase and a lot of slow time,” he said. “But when you get a 200-pound or 300-pound gator on the line, and it flips its tail and splashes you and you get soaking wet, it gets exciting pretty quick.”

    Passenger accepts check for broken eggs - audigazette.com.sa

    19 June 2011

    A Saudi Arabian Airlines passenger returning to the Kingdom from Singapore who had his cargo of crocodile and snake eggs destroyed by clumsy baggage handlers has been compensated for his loss with SR519 and 16 halala.

    Radhwan Mardad told Okaz/Saudi Gazette he had accepted the check payment from Saudi Airlines for the loss of the four snake eggs and two crocodile eggs that were accidentally destroyed at Madina International Airport a month ago.

    “I will not be seeking any compensation for losses such as travel and transport expenses and finding salesmen abroad,” he said. “I went to Singapore purely for purposes of tourism and not specifically to buy the eggs.”