MANILA, Philippines - Lolong, the male reptile that gained fame for making it to the Guinness World Records, was declared dead on Sunday night by Dr. Alex Cullantes of the Davao Crocodile Park. Bunawan, Agusan del Sur Mayor Edwin Elorde announced the news.
The cause of death has not yet been determined, as of posting. A post-mortem examination is set to be conducted on Lolong on Monday.
In an interview with ANC World Tonight, Elorde said a team from the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) will be doing the post-mortem. He said park attendants noticed that Lolong's right stomach was bloated before he died.
Asked if Lolong should have been released back to the wild, Elorde said they took good care of the crocodile and that it had adapted to the conditions in the park.
The mayor said Lolong was "not less than 50 years old." Elorde said they will ask the help of PAWB in preserving Lolong "so we can still see him."
Lolong was captured in Bunawan in 2011. The reptile measured at 6.2 meters (20 feet and 4 inches) by Australian zoologist Adam Britton.
It was captured by professional hunters after a 3-week hunt due to a spate of attacks that killed two residents and several animals. Lolong had become a "tourist attraction" in Bunawan.
Source: ABS-CBN News
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