 Hong Kong's Crocodile
|
Nov. 11, 2003 — A mysterious crocodile, which appears to be mocking efforts to catch it in a suburban creek, has forced the Hong Kong government to call for foreign help — much to the amusement of the public.
Real-life "Crocodile Dundee" characters were informed of the reptile's movements after a weeklong effort to trap it ended in failure.
Meanwhile the crocodile, which was first spotted in early November near the border with mainland China, has become something of a Hong Kong celebrity.
|
 
|
|||||||
The story has been splashed over the media ever since residents of newly developed Yuen Long, near the southern Chinese economic powerhouse of Shenzhen, alerted authorities to the existence of a 1.2-meter (four-foot) crocodile in polluted local waters.
This is the first time that a crocodile has been spotted in Hong Kong, where the importation of live crocodiles has been illegal for some 20 years. The animal is believed to be either an abandoned pet or an escapee from a farm on the Chinese mainland.
While the beast has not yet bitten into anything — except the reputation of Hong Kong's authorities — it is still believed to pose a danger to the public.
Everything seems to have been thrown at the beast in an attempt to capture it, but the animal's cunning has won it respect.
In front of journalists and photographers, Hong Kong experts first tried to hit it with a tranquilizer dart. When that failed, they tried a riskier tactic — capture using nets, rope, blankets and tape. This also failed.
Over the weekend the animal slid into a metal cage set up as a trap, snacked on the chicken and pork delicacies left as bait, took a turn in its new surroundings and then pushed out before the door shut.
It even made a foray into a second cage, to the applause of the public.
The South China Morning Post called in an editorial for this "crocodile farce" to stop. "The dithering must stop," it said. "Bring on the experts."
The government apparently heard them. "We have contacted foreign crocodile specialists to get their thoughts on how to trap the crocodile," said a spokeswoman from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
The press reported that an Australian crocodile expert, John Lever, has offered his services for free. Seeing the publicity value of the occasion, an airline and one of Hong Kong's biggest hotels have offered to sponsor him.
But the Post reported that Lever had been warned he could not come to the territory without a proper work permit, and a spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said the government was still considering his and other experts' offers of help.
< news main
Name: Saltwater Crocodile, aka Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)
Primary Classification: Crocodilia (Crocodiles and Alligators) Location: Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Habitat: River mouths, lakes, estuaries and shallow coastal waters, especially near mangrove swamps. Diet: A wide variety of animals, including fish, turtles, mud crabs, snakes, shore and wading birds, buffalo, domestic livestock, wild boars and monkeys. Size: Up to 23 ft in length and 1 ton in weight. Description: Gray, brown, black or dark olive in color; white or yellow belly; large head; fairly long, broad snout with deep pores; heavy-set jaw with up to 68 teeth; large, oval, plate-like scales; webbed hind feet; powerful, striped tail with two keels. Cool Facts: It is the largest reptile in the world, and perhaps the most dangerous. Along with the alligator, it is responsible for more human fatalities per year than any other predator on Earth. Its eyes and nostrils are located on top of its head, which allows it to see and hear prey while partially submerged. Conservation Status: Common |
||
