The two huge crocodiles captured in Bataraza town in Palawan on Valentine's Day — Valentino and Valentina — have been transferred to the Puerto Princesa Crocodile Farm, a television report said Wednesday. 

“Sa bigat ni Valentino (16 feet), pitong tao ang humila sa kanyang buntot palabas ng truck pagdating ng crocodile farm sa Puerto Princesa. Limang oras binyahe ang trak mula sa Bataraza, Palawan kung saan ito nahuli, pati na ang 11-feet na buwaya na si Valentina,” Maki Pulido reported on GMA News TV’s "Balitanghali." 

 

Following the two crocodiles' capture, the saltwater creatures have been under “stress,” the same television report said.

 

“Nung mahuli sila, paghila namin [mula sa ilog] hanggang pag-ahon sa lupa nagsimula na ‘yung stress nila (mga buwaya), though ‘yun naman ay mababawi nila . Ilalagay na sila sa pen para makapagpahinga na sila,” Bernardo Francisco, director at the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, said in the report.

Francisco noted that Valentino, the 16-feet male crocodile, was put in a pen separate from Valentina, the 11-feet female croc, which will eventually be placed in a “breeding pen.”

 

“So far, di pa nakakakain [ang mga buwaya], nakatali pa ang nguso kasi delikado pa. ‘Pag naka-rest na sila at wala na silang tali [saka pa lang papakainin]… It will take some weeks [before the crocodiles can be fed],” Francisco said in a separate interview on "Balitanghali" host Pia Arcangel. 

 

The director noted that trapping the crocodiles was an incidental “rescue,” citing that irate residents may opt to kill Valentino and Valentina.

 

“Pag naperwisyo ‘yung kanilang hanapbuhay ‘yung mga alaga nilang hayop, ang tendency ganun din gaganti kung pwede papatayin nila (ng mga tao) ‘yan, partly parang rescue na rin ito,” Francisco said.

 

Still, the wildlife director noted that the residents around the area were also to be blamed in the crocodile attack on humans, citing that the residents destroy the natural habitat of the animals.

 

“Sinisira nila (mga tao) ang tirahan ng mga buwaya kaya nabubulabog ang mga ito hanggang dumadating sa punto na  umaalis na sila (buwaya) sa kanilang habitat,” he told Kara David on GMA News TV's "News to Go."

Francisco adviced: “Unang una, sabi ko sa kanila, wag nyong sirain yung mangrove resources dyan kasi ‘yan ang tirahan ng buwaya kasi… pagka oras na sinira nila yung mangrove forest that’s the time na mabubulalbog ‘yung buwaya. Pupunta-punta na ‘yan sa ibang mga lugar para makahanap ng pagkain hanggang makaperhuwisyo na ‘yan ng tao.”

Crocodile attack

 

The Balitanghali report also confirmed that Valentino was the crocodile that attacked a human. The attack prompted the hunt for the giant crocodiles.

 

“Tiyak daw na si Valentino iyong [umatake sa tao] dahil sa palatandaan ng mga tagaroon na putol ang buntot. Putol nga raw ang palayaw ni Valentino sa mga taga-baranggay Tanglato sa Bataraza,” the report said.

 

Bernardo said that on February 1, a crocodile attack on a human was reported. “Hindi naman po grabe [ang natamong pinsala ng biktima] kasi may suot siyang tsinelas na makapal ang swelas… laslas yung ibabaw ng paa niya… ‘di naman namatay yung biktima.”

 

Still, Valentino can not compare to Lolong, another saltwater crocodile caught in the Agusan Marsh last September. Lolong has a length of 20.3 feet and is a contender in the Guinness World Book of Records as the largest saltwater crocodile held in captivity.

 

“Halos magkasing edad si Lolong at si Valentino na tinatayang nasa 40 years old. Mas maliit lang si Valentino na may habang 16 feet. 500 kilos si Valentino katumbas ng sampung sakong bigas,” Pulido said in her report.

 

Meanwhile, another Lolong may still be lurking in Sayab River in Bataraza, Palawan where the huge crocs were found.

 

“[Ang] lugar kung saan nahuli ito (buwaya), maraming residente doon na nagkukuwento na mayroon pang mas malaki sa kanya. ‘Yung isang mangingisda [nga raw] actually nasalubong niya [ang buwaya] habang nagbabangka siya,” Francisco added. — with Rouchelle Dinglasan/RSJ, GMA News