Croc hunter heads for Hong Kong

[SunWuKong]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/3259681.stm

Croc hunter heads for Hong Kong

By Chris Hogg
BBC correspondent in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's government has announced it will accept the offer of help from an Australian crocodile hunter to capture the beast which has so far eluded efforts to trap it for the last 10 days.

The change of heart is an attempt to stem the flow of negative media coverage as its own officials struggle to catch the crocodile.

The reptile has been swimming up and down a stretch of river in a suburban area of Hong Kong and the authorities are concerned it might attack someone.

Teams of sharpshooters armed with tranquiliser darts were unable to corner the beast.

Cages suspended in the water with bait did not work either.

At just 1.2 metres long the croc is no monster but it has proved a wily opponent for the local officials sent to capture it.

So now the government has turned to the experts. It has accepted an offer of help from an Australian crocodile hunter, John Lever.

Mr Lever, who said he learnt to grapple crocodiles from a crocodile clan in New Guinea, told the BBC he would just walk in and grab it.

"A crocodile of that size is not that threatening," he told the BBC's World Today programme.

The costs of his trip will be met by a local newspaper and various tourism companies - ensuring no doubt the saga will end in a blaze of publicity. Its celebrity status assured, the crocodile will then be taken to a new home being prepared for it at Hong Kong zoo.

[applehead]

hey. maybe they can tape the
capture for animal planet.

[pfc beansprout]

yeah! steve irwin to the rescue! waytogo steve!

[mr. x]

Hallo mates in Hang Kang!

[ism]

Crikey! And Terri too.

[AliBabaIncorporated]

I'm putting money on the croc.

[mr. x]

Originally Posted by AliBabaIncorporated

I'm putting money on the croc.

heh, theres something very Beowulf about it

[pfc beansprout]

this ain't steve-o! phoney!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3274383.stm


An Australian hunter called by the Hong Kong authorities to catch a runaway crocodile has failed in his second attempt.
Hunter John Lever said he got close enough to throw a harpoon at the animal on Saturday - but missed.

The crocodile has outwitted Hong Kong officials for the past two weeks.

On Friday Mr Lever - who is using a small boat to hunt down the reptile in a muddy creek - first tried to lure it with chicken heads.

But the hunter said the animal was not hungry enough to take the bait.

"There is so much food out there," he said, referring to fish.

For the second attempt on Saturday, the Australian relied on a special bamboo harpoon, which he said could capture the animal without killing it.

After this also failed Mr Lever said he would try again on Sunday.

No harm

The hunt for the crocodile has captivated Hong Kong and dominated newspaper headlines.

Mr Lever told the South China Morning Post, which has sponsored his visit: "Finding him is the easiest part. Getting close enough to catch him is the hard part. It requires a lot of stealth."

The crocodile is not native to Hong Kong. It is believed to have escaped from a home where it was kept as a pet, or a farm on the Chinese mainland.

But the authorities fear the animal could harm someone, and they are determined to track it down.

So far they have been remarkably unsuccessful. Teams of sharpshooters with tranquilizer darts failed to hit their target in front of the assembled media.

A series of traps have also failed.

On one occasion the crocodile managed to eat the food in a trap and slip away without getting caught.

But officials say they intend the animal no harm.

[Made in China]

I am from Hong Kong. My dad said that Steve Irwin cost too much so they went for a cheap alternative, another guy.

[pfc beansprout]

Originally Posted by Made in China

I am from Hong Kong. My dad said that Steve Irwin cost too much so they went for a cheap alternative, another guy.

awww, that stinks..but its for "the cause" ...i'm sure all his proceeds go to his zoo anyhow...o well

[SunWuKong]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3242432.stm

Hunter gives up on HK croc

Hong Kong's fugitive crocodile appears to have won the first round of a long drawn-out attempt to catch it in the marshes close to the border with mainland China.

An Australia hunter, called in to track down the reptile, is heading home after his failure over two weeks to snare the beast.

"I am extremely frustrated and disappointed by the whole thing," John Lever, 61, told the BBC's World Today programme.

"The crocodile's outwitted us all," he said.

A team of Chinese experts is now being recruited to take on the challenge.

The 1.5 metre long animal was first sighted in the territory on 2 November, the first ever crocodile seen there in the wild.

It is believed to be on the run from a mainland crocodile farm, or a home where it was kept as a pet.

Obstacles

Mr Lever was called in after local officials were humiliated by the crocodile calmly evading their traps.

He has fared little better.

The presence of some 600 spectators and 200 journalists had helped thwart his efforts, according to Mr Lever.

"We damn near had it on the first night... I was just about to grab it and the spotlights turned on... the croc took one look at me, and hid," Mr Lever told the BBC's World Today.

He said that the marshy terrain had also proved an obstacle, with soupy mud that is impossible to walk through, but an easy swim for the crocodile.

Mr Lever has been training local officials in the art of trapping so that they can take over the hunt.

They will also be joined by two experts from the Chinese mainland.

But Mr Lever was sceptical about their chances.

"They've got no experience in hunting, they're handlers," he said.

But he wished them well.

"If they do catch the croc, I'll see that I've played a part in that .... and I'll be very happy," he said.

[bluemonq]

heh. croc 1, hk 0. the most improbable and hi-larious thing is that someone's gonna end up running it over with their boat and not even realize a thing. someone's getting a new matching handbag and purse set.

[ZiJing]

the next people who try to catch it, will probably just shoot it. that is definitely the easiest solution, plus it's cheaper. and takes less time. but too bad for the croc.

[SunWuKong]

Originally Posted by ZiJing

the next people who try to catch it, will probably just shoot it. that is definitely the easiest solution, plus it's cheaper. and takes less time. but too bad for the croc.

seriously. they should have shot the damn thing a long time ago. plus, they can probably do non-lethal shots, and just take him to the vet afterwards.

[bluemonq]

Originally Posted by SunWuKong

seriously. they should have shot the damn thing a long time ago. plus, they can probably do non-lethal shots, and just take him to the vet afterwards.

i think the little critter has his own fan club now ::unsure:: probably bad press