By OLIVER PICKUP and RICHARD SHEARS

Giant catch: Mayor Cox Elorde of Bunawan township, Agusan del Sur Province, pretends to measure a huge crocodile which was captured by residents and crocodile farm staff along a creek in Bunawan

It weighs one ton and is believed responsible for eating at least one fisherman, but this monster crocodile has finally been caught by 100 very cautious men.

Measuring 21ft, the massive creature is the largest crocodile captured alive in recent years.

The beast was caught, after a three-week hunt, in a creek in the Philippines by villagers who had lived in fear of it for more than 20 years.


Price haul: Residents use their hands to measure the 21ft salt-water crocodile


Its nearest rival in the monster stakes is Cassius, an Australian salt-water crocodile which measures a 'mere' 18ft - and which is still on the loose in the Northern Territory.

The Philippine crocodile's domain was a river system in Agusan, a poverty-stricken region 500 miles south east of Manila, but while it was a constant threat to villagers no-one was brave enough to try to capture it.


Long tail: Dozens of local residents gather around the animal, which is believed to have killed a fisherman


However, when a village fisherman went missing and the crocodile became the chief suspect, plans were hatched in order to catch it.

It was placed under observation and when it was witnessed by several villagers killing a water buffalo they knew their suspicions were right.


Posing: One of the heavily armed captors touches the beast for the camera

Giant crocodile captured alive in Philippines 21ft long



source: dailymail