Fungal pneumonia killed ‘Lolong’

MANILA, Philippines - Pneumonia from fungal infection caused the death of “Lolong” the crocodile.

Director Mundita Lim of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) said yesterday fungus infected Lolong’s lungs and stress aggravated the problem after he was taken out of the Agusan Marsh.

“Even before Lolong’s capture, it was already not feeling well, and taking the crocodile from its natural habitat to a new home made its condition worse,” Lim said.

The fungal infection made breathing difficult for Lolong and affected its heart, leading to congestive heart failure, she added.

Lolong was caught in the wild and moved to a pen at the Bunawan Eco-Park in Agusan del Sur.

Tests showed that Lolong had been exposed to mercury. 

Lim said they are awaiting a copy of the CCTV footage showing Lolong’s behavior before and after its death.

“Though final results of the necropsy have been released, we can take note of additional information from what we can get from the CCTV,” she said. “This will be for recording purposes and may help in the study of crocodiles.” 

Tissue samples of Lolong have been sent to the University of the Philippines Los Baños-College of Veterinary Medicine to determine the onset of the infection.

Lolong was found to have lesions in its major organs and intestines.