A monstrous saltwater crocodile measuring over 20 feet in length died on Sunday. Named Lolong, the crocodile was the largest crocodile in captivity in the world and the star of the town of Bunawan in the Philippines.
"We tried our best to save Lolong and we are sad that this happened to him," Rowena Elorde, special spokesperson for the Bunawan local government, said in a Philippine Star report.
It turns out that Lolong had been sick with diarrhea during the three weeks leading up to his death caused by the accidental swallowing of a nylon chord. The exact cause of death has not been determined just yet, although some unusually cold water may have had something to do with it. An autopsy could happen as early as Monday.
The croc was found in a protected area in the Agusan del Sur province and brought into captivity back in 2011, and housed in the Bunawan Eco-Park and Research Center. While there, the croc helped draw crowds, and became a hometown favorite. His popularity could be seen as locals gathered to pay their respects to the 50-year-old magnificent creature.
"The whole town, in fact the whole province, is mourning," Agusan del Sur province Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde said. "My phones kept ringing because people wanted to say how affected they are."
Lolong weighed in at around 1.2 tons, and was declared by Australian zoologist Dr. Adam Britton to be the largest crocodile in captivity in the world, beating out an Australian croc that came in at 17 feet.
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