Young crocodile captured at Turtle islands in Tawi-Tawi


ZAMBOANGA CITY -- A young saltwater crocodile was captured along the coast of Turtle islands in Tawi-Tawi  by local residents who failed to catch the elder crocodile after it swam into the deepest portion of the sea.

Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi town officials headed by Mayor Mohammad Faizal H. Jamalul (center in white shirt) showed the reptile to the local residents of the village before he ordered the release of the young crocodile to the sea. (Nonoy Lacson / MANILA BULLETIN)
Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi town officials headed by Mayor Mohammad Faizal H. Jamalul (center in white shirt) showed the reptile to the local residents of the village before he ordered the release of the young crocodile to the sea. (Nonoy Lacson / MANILA BULLETIN)

Turtle Island municipal Mayor Mohammad Faizal H. Jamalul said  on Wednesday that a local resident of Barangay Likud Bakkaw captured the young crocodile at about 7 a.m., Monday near the shoreline of the village.

The mayor said the elder crocodile immediately swam into the deep portion of the sea after seeing  the local residents heading towards the area.

The crocodile, with scientific name Crocodylus Porosus, measures about 36 inches and  is brackish, Jamalul told the Manila Bulletin.

He said the residents tried to catch  the young reptile on four different occasions but failed due to the strength of the salt water crocodile.

“On Tuesday morning at about 7 a.m., the residents of the village were able to catch  him but failed to catch the elder reptile,” the mayor said.

The mayor said the crocodile did not harm the people living along the village.

“Probably, the reptile was just looking for  a new habitat  where they could live,” he said.

Jamalul said he asked officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to release the reptile into the sea three hours after it was captured.

The release of the reptile into the sea was witnessed by Mayor Jamalul, DENR officials,  town officials, and  the chief of the Municipal Tourism Office Miss Abrille Yusop Oraiz. 

Oraiz said it was the first time that local residents of the municipality saw a reptile visiting the shoreline of the town.

They normally witness turtles of different species visiting the shore to lay their eggs, Oraiz said.