The Death of Lolong

                     The death of Lolong is tragic. While the exact cause of Lolong’s death is still being investigated, scientific studies have shown that captive animals die younger than their wild counterparts. Lolong suffered and died because people wanted to make money off his captivity. Lolong spent his last 18 months alone in a concrete pen, instead of in the Agusan Marsh, where he belongs. Crocodiles are fascinating animals with complex and multifaceted lives. They communicate using aural, visual, tactile and olfactory cues, and their courtship rituals include body postures reinforced with odor from paired musk glands. They are nocturnal and, in their natural homes, feed primarily at night. Crocodiles shun contact with humans, and captive crocodiles like Lolong never become “tame.”No zoo can come close to providing what even small crocodiles need, much less a crocodile the size of Lolong. 
                     Crocodiles are hardwired to roam freely, seek out mates, and hunt for food. These genetic imperatives are compelling, and the way that they are fulfilled in the wild cannot be replicated in captivity. When you consider the immense size and strength of Lolong, there is no doubt that being contained in a cramped enclosure caused him extreme distress and misery. PETA hopes that this incident will motivate the government to move away from capturing animals from the wild in order to keep them locked in cages and specifically look at the case of Mali, who has already been accepted into a sanctuary where her life expectancy and happiness can be increased but has yet to be allowed to move. 
                     After confirming the death of Lolong in the Philippines, Guinness World Records has "returned" the title of the largest crocodile in captivity to an Australian saltwater crocodile. Guinness World Records as of Wednesday morning listed Australia-based Cassius as the world's largest crocodile in captivity.Cassius was the record holder in that category before it was displaced by Lolong in 2012.The Guinness World Records site described Cassius as an Australian saltwater crocodile, and currently the largest crocodile in captivity at 5.48 meters, or 17 feet and 11.75 inches. It said the Australian saltwater crocodile is “the largest and most fearsome of today's species.”"Specimens can live for more than 100 years, can grow to 7 meters and weigh more than 1 tonne!" . Also, it said Cassius is about 100 years old, is thought to eat humans, and is the largest crocodile captured alive in Australia."He was brought about 3,200 km from Australia’s Northern Territory to Green Island in 1987, by truck," it said. On the other hand, Lolong had been described as a saltwater crocodile, which measured 6.17 meters in Agusan del Sur. "He was measured by experienced handlers in his custom built enclosure at Bunawan Eco-Park and Research Centre, Philippines. Lolong's weight was also measured at a nearby truck weigh-bridge and verified as approximately 1075 kg," it said.

By : Chelsea Marie Derama