Fishermen hold croc captive, want P40,000
ishermen in Cotabato are demanding , in e change for the release of a ca tive
But the government has a noransom olicy when it comes to wildlife including crocodiles, one of which was accidentally caught by the fishermen in Liguasan arsh last aturday
The fishermen have tied the -meter-long crocodile to a tree while waiting for a “reward of , that they have demanded from the government in lang town in e change for the re tile
nvironment officials have advised the lang government not to give in to what wildlife advocates consider as a ransom
demand for the animal.
“It will just encourage more illegal collections of wildlife,” said director Theresa undita Lim of the Biodiversity anagement Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural esources.
“Illegal possession and killing of wildlife are punishable under the Wildlife Act,” Lim warned. “Cases can be filed against them, and there is a higher penalty if the crocodile dies in their possession.”
Local officials have expressed concern that the crocodile could die from stress or harm residents if it manages to escape.
The world’s officially recognized longest saltwater crocodile, named Lolong, was caught in the Agusan arsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Bunawan town in September 2011.
easuring 6.17 meters and weighting over a ton, Lolong initially refused to eat in captivity. The crocodile, believed to be 50 years old, died after a year of being kept in a pen and turned into a tourist attraction.
Both the Agusan and Liguasan marshes are protected wetlands and are included in UNESCO’s tentative list of World Heritage Sites.
Covering some 288,000 hectares, Liguasan is the largest swamp and marsh area in indanao.