Judging by all of the intense wildlife found on (or near) their islands, the people in the Philippines have it rough. Giant, man-eating sharks aren’t the only monsters they have to worry about. Now, people in the Philippines have to worry about monsters on land, as well. Meet the giant Filipino crocodile. (So much for being safe on land…)
Back in 2011, residents of a small village south of the Philippine capital, Manila, managed to capture the world’s largest, living crocodile.
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The 21-foot, 2,370-pound monster had been terrorizing the area for years. After it was suspected in the killing of a local fisherman, and some farmers’ live stock went missing, a team of 100 local men set out to finally catch the beast.
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After an all day struggle they managed to trap the croc with steal nets, and drag it out of the small creek it was hiding in. The men then bound it up with tough rope and lifted it onto the back of a truck with the help of a crane.
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Rather than killing the crocodile, the villagers decided to donate the animal to a new eco-tourism park in neighboring Agusan. After, of course, they had their chance to take pictures with it.
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Sadly, this magnificent beast passed away in early 2013, two years after being brought to the eco-tourism park.
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H/T: National Geographic
Just because this behemoth is no longer out in the wild doesn’t mean it’s any safer for folks in the Philippines. Researchers believe there are still plenty of other giant crocs out there that could cause their fair share of death and destruction.
