4-foot saltwater crocodile caught in Palawan fish pen

June 1, 2017 - 9:57 AM
11711
A saltwater crocodile is fed a pig's head in a park in Pasay City. (Reuters file)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines — A fisherman found a saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) inside his fish pen in Rizal town in southern Palawan.

Councilman Salcedo Bundal of Barangay Culasian said the owner of the fish pen thought he had caught a huge fish but was surprised when he saw a saltwater crocodile trying to wiggle its way out on Monday.

Bundal did not name the fish pen owner but said he had left the crocodile where it was “because he doesn’t know what to do with it.”

He said there have been sightings of saltwater crocodiles near the mouth of the river in Culasian and some of them may have been responsible for the disappearance of farm animals and domestic pets.

Jovic Fabello, spokesman of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff, said a saltwater crocodile was also caught in Culasian sometime ago.

He said the PCSDS and the Crocodile Farm management would meet to resolve the incident and help Culasian residents keep themselves safe from crocodile attacks.