Crocodile spotted in Hamilton area

[kickingfrog]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/crocodile-spotted-in-hamilton-area/article1557182/

 

 

 

Crocodile spotted in Hamilton area

 

A large crocodilian has been reported loose in a Hamilton Pond. It has been seen across from Hutches Restaurant at 280 Van Wagners Beach Rd. Bry Loyst of the Indian River Reptile Zoo is on site and is attempting to capture this animal.

Conservationists comb area ponds, try unsuccessfully to capture the croc

 

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

Published on Wednesday, May. 05, 2010 3:51AM EDT

 

Last updated on Wednesday, May. 05, 2010 4:46AM EDT

 

 

On Sunday morning, Tom Badeau set out to his local Hamilton-area pond expecting to snap photos of birds and otters - the usual critters he sees on his regular nature jaunts.

 

But a shot of a branch in the middle of the pond that dipped into the deep made him do a double take.

 

“I thought it was a stupid stick,” he said.

 

It turned out to be much more exotic and dangerous – a crocodile that has become the object of a determined search and rescue mission in the pond near Barangas On The Beach.

 

Animal conservationists were combing the area ponds Tuesday evening in a “night hunt” trying to capture the crocodile that had likely been a pet set free by a wary owner, said Bry Loyst, a curator with the Indian River Reptile Zoo.

 

 

 

But the croc evaded Mr. Loyst and his crew Tuesday night. If and when he finally does snag the beast, he’ll use ropes and anything he can to wrestle it into captivity.

 

“We're using the snare ropes, lasso or I'll jump on it,” he said, adding that the croc is not used to water temperatures this cool.

 

Mr. Loyst thinks the croc has left the pond and may have travelled down one of the waterways that branch from it. The zoo will only recommence the search if the Hamilton Conservation Authority gives its blessing.

 

Mr. Badeau didn’t even know it was a crocodile until his wife, Carla, enlarged his photo at home. She called the Hamilton Conservation Authority, which then called Environment Canada. The federal agency reached out to the Indian River Reptile Zoo, which trains its conservationists, Mr. Loyst said. He saw the croc for himself when he visited the site with Mr. Badeau on Monday.

 

 

 

 

.

While it’s legal to own a crocodile, he says, cross-border reptile smuggling is on the rise. And, like with puppies, crocs can be cute when they’re little and unwieldy when they grow.

 

“Those are real pets - they can love you back.”

 

The zoo’s most recent call for a croc was last fall in London, Ont. The resident managed to catch the reptile himself.

 

There are 23 species of crocodiles, none of which are native to Canada, he said. The zoo has about six, which the crocodile will join if captured.

[Roy]

Yeah, Spiel sent me that yesterday. They've already hired this guy to relocate the beast.

[Dara]

They just gotta learn to live with it

[skeeter]

crocodile royD

 

miss kelly says you look great in that suit,

now how about the birthday suit?~~~~~

[fish_fishburn]

Funny, they didn't mention a thing about cougars.

[l2p]

natures coming back to take what was theirs! believe me or not. me and my friends were at the train yards by birchmount and ellesmere just doin our own thing... anyways it was night and we saw a fox running really really fast my buddy goes to get a close look at it running because at this point it already ran past us then all of a sudden my buddy came running back and started freaking apperently he just saw something huge so we left... on the way out of the yard we spotted the fox.... getting mauled by a 200 lbs wolf! no joke no lie this thing stoped me on my tracks.. ive never felt shivers go down my back like that..ever. some pretty scary stuff anyways he didnt pay interest to us at all and we were about 30 feet from this thing just goin at the fox. i pulled out my phonne but alas the bright light that it emits scared it off with fox in mouth. needless to say i called 222 tips just to let them know theres a massive wolf running around scarborough.

[l2p]

btw... no it wasnt just a big dog.. it was white and grey down the back with huge broad shoulders unlike any dog ive seen. plus what dog would tear the shaiit out of a fox.. my cousins fully grown boxer ran from the last fox we saw..

[Mykester]

I too would have thought that it was a stupid stick, the expectations of sticks has really gone down hill and they've been taking advantage of that.

[MJL]

I hear crocodile meat tastes like chicken...

[Twocoda]

crocodile royD

 

miss kelly says you look great in that suit,

now how about the birthday suit?~~~~~

 

for the love of god Roy ....should you decide to accommodate this request ...please iron out the wrinkles before posting ...

[uglyfish]

Well, I know where I'm taking mykids tonite!! Haha

[Gerritt]

I hear crocodile meat tastes like chicken...

 

 

I have had Crocodile meat while in Australia, and I can say it tastes NOTHING like chicken lol

[Mike Pike]

I remember having it and enjoying it at a restaurant in Florida. Kinda tasted like a cross between chicken and fish, as I recall. Our server told us the meat they use is from the tail.

Edited May 5, 2010 by Mike Pike

[bushart]

Tell Me Fellow OFC Brothers ---is this what they call...."A Reptile Dysfunction"

 

 

 

TTTTT Da Da-----I'm here all week!!

 

Remember to call on Bushart Co. for all your infantile humour

[ketchenany]

Here is a picture of it taken by Global News

[GBW]

Send Dave as it could be a gator-gar

[Paully]

First cougars in Hamilton and now this?

[SBCregal]

that pic KINDA looks like a duck with its head under the water and hind end up in the air to me.

 

ryan

[rockfish]

I'll think twice about taking my float tube out in the harbour now. Idjits and releasing their dam exotic pets and fish.

[fish-miester]

L2P when was this ?

 

and to bad its not shark.. last time I went to florida had it at a restaurant.. Delicious ! but hey who wants to go have a tourny and see who can catch the gator... and when or if we do.. BBQ !?!??

Edited May 5, 2010 by fish-meister

[bushart]

Tell Me Fellow OFC Brothers ---is this what they call...."A Reptile Dysfunction"

 

 

 

TTTTT Da Da-----I'm here all week!!

 

Remember to call on Bushart Co. for all your infantile humour

 

 

MMMM tough crowd----maybe I should have given the croc a name like "Cialis"

[bassman87]

MMMM tough crowd----maybe I should have given the croc a name like "Cialis"

i thoguht it was funny, people at work are lookng at me like im craazy

[marth11]

Funny im going to hamilton this afternoon, now I got a reason to bring my camera and try out my new croc wrestling skills, place your bets on the table boys we got Joey from niagara taking on the Croc from hamilton here are your stats.

 

Joey

 

6'4"

 

144lbs

 

white

 

signature move: running really slow

 

Croc

 

6'

 

200 lbs

 

Green

 

signature move: being a green mean eating machine

[Stern Rules]

I hear crocodile meat tastes like chicken...

I just had some alligator and it didn't taste like chicken at all. I can't really describe the taste but definately not like chicken. Don't know how different it would be from the croc.

[Lunatic]

i find it funny if its the pond between hutches/barangas and the highway because there have been a few times where i was going to ask here if anyone had ever fished in it. looks like a good place for bass to hold up. but now with that croc in there,maybe ill try elsewhere lol