Crocs sow fear among Isabela folk

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines  – Fear engulfed villagers near rivers in an Isabela town amid reports that crocodiles believed to have escaped from a reservation area during the onslaught of typhoon Juan are now roaming free in their waterways.

Reports indicated that some of the more than 30 Philippine crocodiles feared to have escaped from their breeding habitat in San Mariano town during last October’s typhoon and the succeeding floods have been seen roaming in coastal Divilacan town and nearby lakes and rivers.

According to Divilacan Mayor Bentorito Bulan, the crocodiles are wandering in his town’s rivers and other freshwater areas, generating fears among villagers living nearby, of possible attacks by said reptiles. Reports said a number of domesticated animals have been eaten by the crocodiles in past weeks. Recently, a pregnant woman almost lost her leg after being bitten by a crocodile while crossing a river along the area.  

However, the Mabuwaya Foundation, a conservationist group, denied reports that the crocodiles seen outside of its breeding area in San Mariano were among those that they had been rearing.

“The crocodiles seen in Divilacan (conservation area) had come from Palawan and were not among those we were raising in San Mariano,” said a Mabuwaya Foundation worker.

What the residents might have seen, he added, were those crocodiles, which we specially released to the wilds in Divilacan.

Last year, Mabuwaya had released 50 Palawan-bred crocodiles in Divilacan’s Lake Dicatian, which is substantially away from residents, as part of an effort to save from extinction the Philippine crocodile, said to be one of the world’s most severely threatened crocodile species.

Mainly restricted to freshwater areas, Philippine crocodiles, scientifically called Crocodylus Mindorensis, generally pose no threat to humans unless provoked. The Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center was the first to venture into the successful breeding of said reptile species.