Friday, September 9. 2011Crocs are wildlife, not pests
The shrill voice on the radio was too much to bear. “Ano ba yung bayawak, yan ba yung maliit na buwaya?” the commentator asked her giggling colleagues.
No madam, the buwaya is not a huge bayawak or butiki. These are three totally different animals, and it would do well for reporters to review their biology lessons before tackling the issue in their programs. News headlines have been full of Lolong the giant crocodile this week, but the reportage has been so uninformed it would make any naturalist flinch while reading the stories. Here are some of the most glaring lapses: 1. “Crocodile-infested” rivers – Okay, so many of us have had problems with cockroach-infested offices and houses; in that context the term is okay because we’re talking about pests. However, crocodiles are not pests. They are wildlife that inhabit waterways in the hinterlands, and if they could talk, they’d probably say it’s the migrants that have been infesting their habitats with garbage. 2. Man-eating crocodile – Really now, humans are not part of the everyday diet of crocodiles and as the gastric lavage showed, there was no indication that Lolong the huge croc had swallowed one either. Most people would be surprised to know that they are not voracious eaters, with captive crocodiles getting fed only three times a week, if I remember my conversations with crocodile breeders in Palawan correctly. However, they are also known as “opportunistic feeders” that will eat whatever is available when they’re hungry, a growing problem in areas where their territorial range has shrunk due to human settlement. 3. Monster crocodile – Yes the size is daunting, but that doesn’t make Lolong a monster in the same way we think of Godzilla or whatever is your cultural reference of a fearsome creature. A crocodile is simply another huge animal that will avoid us if we don’t invade their territories, which brings me to ... 4. “Terrorizing” villages – A very annoying imagery, indeed, considering that the Agusan Marsh has been the habitat of crocodiles long before settlers arrived in the area. Obviously, the issue of encroachment is a complicated one, but the media would do better to spur educated debates instead of reinforcing Pinoy horror movie biases. 5. Lolong as a tourist attraction – Sure, it can be an educational experience, but knowing the penchant of Pinoys to poke fun at caged animals, it would have been better to release him back to the wild. Obviously, this is no longer possible given the hysteria surrounding his capture. Still, it would be great if the government can enforce policies similar to those taken in other countries where there are well-maintained wildlife sanctuaries, and travelers are advised to take precautions against big animals like bears or gorillas. So where did I learn all these things? As it happens, I once had a friend who trapped some of the biggest problem crocodiles, meaning those that are known to have attacked humans, in the Philippine wilderness. Sadly, he’s no longer around. Last January, he was killed by cowardly people who are far more deadly and dangerous than crocodiles. Trackbacks
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i agree on number 5. lolong should be released back to its home. government should declare the whole agusan marsh as protected area and develop it into a wild life park of some sort; similar to jurassic park where people can view them in their natural environment. that's the real tourist attraction.
your comment was right. The local government should amend or enforce a law to protect this lovely creatures. Also include intensive education and public awareness on affected communities. The local government should declare a crocodile sanctuary with a specified buffer zone of both of the river. Hurry up ...... before its late.
I am not in favor of Lolong back into the wild because it can cause harm not only to the villagers resides near but it can will cause harm to Lolong. Im sure many people will hunt him sooner or later.
You are right Crocodiles are not pests. We do have crocodiles who are pests, they are big and terrorizing the nation ever since. They are not endangered species, they should be captured and caged and they even make a good tourist attraction and be humiliated. They crawl in the hall of GSIS building in Roxas Boulevard and a lots of them in the Hall of Batasan Hill. Another is in that Mansion along Pasig River. Their hide is so thick and armored, capturing them is not easy.
Crocodile seeks pardon and relief from the government on grounds of professional courtesy. Je je je
The government should do something about the invasion of human settlement in the Agusan marsh. Nature must be protected to maintain balance in our ecology. Otherwise, reversing it would be next to impossible.
Ibalik nyo si lolong sa agusan marsh...yung mga human settlers ang paalisin nyo dyan..ang mga tao ang nagterrorize sa lugar nila,,hindi yong buaya ang nagterrorize sa tao..simulat sapul sa kanila ang lugar na yan..
What a limited view of the real situation. This writer thinks our country has vast areas of wild forests and jungles where animals live happily ever after.
Get a life Ms. Arquiza, that's why Lolong intruded into human habitats because they're getting close, if not, already living with them in their territory. De-populate first this country before you ask for the impossible because if you let loose of Lolong now, it won't last a couple of days. In this situation, the crocodile in question was a pest. Let it life enclosed or be killed.
mga gago yung mga nagkomento na paalisin mga tao dun sa agusan marsh . e mga b0b0 pala ang mga to . humkan still human. kayong mga b0b0 dapat ipakain kay lolong
ikaw ang bobo n kupal p. d p kita nkikita pero s palgay ko muka k ng buaya. tulad mo mpgpatol k s buaya daig mo p mgisip ang buaya. ungas. masuhin ko yan muka mo eh
Our country is being laughed at by other countries. We captured a giant croc but don't know how to manage it. Are we that incompetents? Our government officials who are portrayed also as crocs must do something about this in order to regain their reputation. Shameful. I thought Philippines has its own nature park/wild life in Palawan? Bring Lolong there. That's simple.
The Agusan Marsh itself is a wildlife sanctuary. It is also included in the Ramsar list of Wetlands of International Importance. Technically, that means the wild where Lolong used to live until last week is his official residence.
The Agusan Marsh is a huge area, in fact, most of the province of Agusan del Sur is categorized as wetland. It is not really a usual thing to have sightings of crocs in this area, although once in a while they go to where people are. And nope--you cannot relocate the people there. They are not the usual urban "squatters"--they are the lumad (tribal people) who have co-existed with Lolong since time immemorial. The invasion is not by the lumad who live peacefully in their native floating houses, nor their children who attend the floating schools (and yes, on very rare occasions one goes missing from his/her little banca because of Lolong's relatives perhaps). The invasion is by people who come to the area to extract the natural resources of the place--bringing with them so-called development projects as baits. While there may be development projects with pure intention, those that do not should be kept out, but how--when their subsequent logging and mining concessions are negotiated with the national government and the local people never have the hint that the development projects are actually "social preparations" for the upcoming exploitation of their habitat and natural environment. 1. Still, the government should ACT to preserve the Agusan Marsh.
2. The government should also do something about Lolong. The place where he is right now is not the right place for crocs. Crocs are not wildlife. Ang daming crocs sa senate, sa congress, sa aguinaldo, sa crame, sa pnp, sa military, sa malacanang, sa government agencies......
As a journalist, you are also aware that there are always two sides of the story... how sad that you only deal on one side. If you wanted the the crocodile to be released back to its natural habitat? well, why not try to live by the agusan marsh for a month? wanna dare?
Tanga ka talaga butuanon!kundi ka ba naman isat kalahating bobo, hindi pa buhay kanunununuan mo, habitat na ng mga bwaya yang agusan marsh..bobo ka tlga!dare dare ka pang nalalaman.
Ikaw ang malaking tanga. Mas may alam si Butuanon sa iyo kasi taga-dun siya at alam niya at ng iba taga-roon na may mga taong nakatira sa Agusan Marsh. Manghilamos ka muna kung akala moy mga hayop lang nakatira sa Agusan Marsh, bobo!
If insects eat our rice and food they are pests, but if animals eat people, they are not pests but wildlife?
The report about this biggest crocodile is wrong......The biggest crocodile is in congress...Her name is Gloria Macapagal Arroyo...
Crocodiles are wildlife but when they eat humans for breakfast, they become pests.
If Lolong will be released back to the wild, for sure the croc would still be hunted illegally and these concerned people would not be able to protect him, unlike where Lolong is now --- protected and would surely be taken care off.
Dapat din isama mo sa listahan ng wildlife mo Yasmin ang mga DAGA, IPIS, LAMOK. Wag din natin silang patayin kasi mga hayop din e ano, hayaan natin silang dumami at maghasik ng lagim.
Itapon na lang kaya si Lolong sa gitna ng Pacific ocean or Atlantic ocean at bahala na kung saan sya mapadpad tutal salt-water crocodile naman sya. Malas lang ang bansa na mapuntahan nya. Para matapos na yang usapang Lolong na yan.
Kung ibabalik nyo si lolong sa agusan marsh pwede ba pakipasama nyo yung mga buwaya sa kongreso at sa mga buwaya na nasa ahensya ng gobyerno na di makulong kulong..
Again, the Agusan Marsh is THE declared wildlife sanctuary (refer to PAWB and Ramsar), and not the pen where Lolong is kept at present. Thus, it is only logical that he be in the declared wildlife sanctuary (namely, Agusan Marsh). And because it is called a sanctuary—then by all means it should be a safe place for him! Why Lolong was intentionally trapped is a puzzle to me—is it for amusement?
On the subject of what pests are and what/who they are, there is such a thing called Food Chain. I don’t know why we humans put ourselves at the top of the food chain—corn gets eaten by bug, bug gets eaten by chicken, chicken gets eaten by man (and why can’t man be eaten by Lolong?). But it’s not about who should be at the top of the food chain, but how do we live and co-exist with everything and everybody in the context of the larger ecosystem. And whether there is an infestation or not of crocodiles in the Agusan Marsh, no, there is not—they are actually endangered in this country. The Agusan Marsh is habitat both for the lumad and the crocodiles in Agusan—that’s how it’s been like in the past 10 centuries and beyond. The reason why crocodiles go to where the humans are is because their habitat is being encroached—not by the lumad, but by the capitalistic outsiders to the place (you only need to see the amount of logs floating in the marsh to make the match sticks that you use to light your cigarette). Of course, something must be done to protect the lumad, and the crocs. There should be other ways than keeping Lolong in a pen (those management plans in Agusan that cost the government millions of PhPs should be implemented and not collect dust). I am very certain that the death toll resulting from traffic accidents and crimes in Manila is much, much higher in a day compared to fatalities committed by Lolong in a decade. pero kasing laki ni lolong nkakatakot naman pagala gala lng un. pero mali din namng gawing atraksyon sya
TAMA ang ginawa ni mayor na hulihin si Lolong at ilagay sa isang malaking kuwadrang tirahan. Bakit nag-iisa na lang ba buwaya si Lolong sa Agusan Marsh? Mas nakakabuti na to dahil medyo madagdagan ang income ng munisipality at ibang tao maturuang alagaan ang wildlife. Kung nasa labas si Lolong tiyak hinahunting pa rin ito at baka mapatay pa ng mga tao.
Maganda rin ito para maiangat ang awareness ng mga tao sa kahalagahan ng wildlife. Dahil kay Lolong mas aware mga tao ngayon na mahalaga ang mga hayop na to sa kalikasan. At mabuti rin ito dahil nailagay sa ang Agusan at Pinas sa mapa ng mundo lalo na't si Lolong ang pinaniwalaang pinakamalaki sa buong mundo. I bet dadagsain ng turista ang lugar at siyempre income din ito sa mga tao. Kung marealize nila na kikita sila sa pamamagitan ng pag-alaga ng mga hayop at gubat, tiyak maproteksyunan natin ang Inang Kalikasan. Ang magaling lang mag-reklamo diyan yung mga tagaPETA na walang kaalam-alam sa sitwasyon. Nasa bahay lang nila mga yan nakaupo nanonood ng balita at bigla na lang naging expert sa animal rights. Wala namang saysay mga pinagsasabi ng mga tagaPETA e, pinapakinggan lang sila ng mga left-leaning activist friendly media. It's funny, we always have the same situation,just like in the government, crocs enjoy the same media mileage,imagine some people would suggest to release Lolong in the wildlife, why fight for one crocs whether to release or not ? Crocs are not human ,they are dangerous animals, unpredictable and can be harmful to human, we as human have dominion over these animals and that is written,we must protect human first, I would agree if those crocs in our government will be release in that marsh area of Batasan.
bakit,may kumpirmado na ba na kinain si lolong na tao?wala naman yata!sabi sabi lang may nawawala dalawa ka tao di naman cguro ibig sabihin nun kinain na sila ng buwaya.
oo naman pare.
nice article true, fair and informative. as human beings, who were gifted with a rational mind, we should really think not only for our own good. but also for the welfare of those creatures that dosn't have the capability to think.
Ang mga hayop, tulad ng tao ay may karapatan rin na mabuhay ng malaya…
Pero tulad rin ng mga taong kriminal o may sakit sa isip na nagdudulot ng panganib at kapahamakan sa kapwa tao o hayop man din ay ibinubukod at ihiniwalay sa lipunan para hindi na makapaminsala sa kapwa. Great site, with some good information. Looking forward to seeing more.
syempre buhay ng tao!
mas marami pang buwaya sa gobyerno hehehe
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