PAWB wants CCTV on Lolong

MANILA, Philippines - The Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) will ask the Bunawan local government for a copy of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to determine the behavior of “Lolong” prior to the crocodile’s death.

“We learned that the mayor installed a CCTV camera to monitor the condition of Lolong even during the time that the latter had just been captured and placed in a fenced pen at the Bunawan Eco-Park,” PAWB director Theresa Mundita Lim said.

She said the CCTV was used to monitor if Lolong was eating or not, or if it showed signs of weakness.

“We will coordinate with Bunawan Mayor Edwin Elorde. Whatever we find there, we can reconcile with the results of the laboratory tests conducted on the tissue samples of Lolong sent to the University of the Philippines Los Baños-College of Veterinary Medicine,” Lim said.

Laboratory tests are being conducted on samples taken from Lolong to determine the onset of bacterial infection, which is believed to have adversely affected the health of the crocodile and eventually led to its death.

Lim said they would also check if Lolong – the world’s largest saltwater crocodile in captivity – started to get weak just recently or soon after its capture.

The infection spread to the animal’s vital organs, leading to cardiac arrest, and the infection could have been aggravated by stress. Environment Secretary Ramon Paje earlier said initial findings from a necropsy performed on Lolong showed it might have died of pneumonia and cardiac arrest. 

Initial reports also showed that the crocodile was found to have lesions in its major organs and intestines. 

Paje said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will issue a more detailed report regarding the crocodile’s death in two weeks.

Lim, meanwhile, stressed that Lolong’s case could lead to a better understanding of the condition of crocodiles in the wild and how to better manage them in captivity.

She added that the study could also help determine the state of the Agusan Marsh, where Lolong was captured in 2011, to possibly improve its condition for the benefit of wildlife and the communities that depend on its resources.