Do not swim in the waters of New Orleans

[Fishyfanatic]

I received these pics in an e-mail from a friend. Wouldn't you hate to come head-to-head with this guy.

This crocodile was found in New Orleans swimming down the street. 21 FT long, 4,500 lbs, around 80 year’s old minimum. Specialists said that he was looking to eat humans because he was too old to catch animals. This crocodile was killed by the army last Sunday at 3:00 pm, currently he is in the freezer at the Azur hotel. The contents of it's stomach will be analyzed this Friday at 2:30pm.

 

[BillyZ]

yet another urban legend.
http://www.snopes.com/katrina/photos/crocodile.asp

These photographs actually show a crocodile that was shot and killed on 6 July 2003 at Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo. According to an article in allafrica.com, the reptile was a Nile crocodile whose vital statistics fell a bit short of the claims made above: he was estimated to be 50 years old, about 16 feet in length, and about 1,900 lbs. (not quite the 80-year-old, 21-foot, 4,500-pound monster described in e-mail). The local mayor reportedly insisted on preserving the crocodile's carcass against the efforts of locals who wanted to eat it and arranged for it to be shipped to a taxidermist.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

haha, word for word of what the e-mail says. It actually seemed plausible that the crocs would be swimming up and down the streets in the flooded waters.

 

[BillyZ]

The best urban legends have a sprinkling of truth behind them to make them seem plausible. If they weren't they'd never circulate. One of the most interesting courses I've taken in college was a "Folklore in Life" course. gave a lot of insight into why urban legends and modern folklore is what it has become in contemporary society.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I haven't heard on the news any information about crocs swimming on the streets. After the city was flooded initially, were there any reports of crocs? I would think that they would go somewhere. Or possibly they were displaced from the hurricane away from the city?

 

[BillyZ]

Sorry I should have phrased that differently. I haven't heard of anything like that either. I was just refering to the current conditions and the plausability of a croc coming up to the streets is what makes this legend perpetuate itself.

This is just speculation on my part, but I would imagine that with the flooding, weather and winds there's plenty of natural selection going on across the board and the surviving crocs have plenty to feed on without the need to go beyond their usual domains. But as I said, just my own speculation.

 

[fishfreek]

From what I hear about the toxic levels in the water I dont see even a croc being able to survive being in the chemical soup they call flooded oreleans.

The truck also looks non american in the pics.

 

[deli_conker]

I was looking at the pics thinking hoax. Looks like everybody beat me to it. One of the first things I noticed was in the second picture where you can see the horizon on the right side of the pic. Looks like desert to me.

Also, if the army "got it", they would be in the pics, not civilians.

 

[Hara]

I don't think we have crocodiles in Louisiana. Alligators yes, but not that type...I could be wrong.

 

[BillyZ]

Also, if the army "got it", they would be in the pics, not civilians.

That was one of the signs to me as well. However, the first thing that tipped me off was when fishy said, "i got this email from a friend..."

 

[captivereefs]

plus everybody knows the true giant crocs live in the sewer's! along with dig sized rats!

 

[Fishyfanatic]

That was one of the signs to me as well. However, the first thing that tipped me off was when fishy said, "i got this email from a friend..."

hahaha. Yeah she sent it to me this morning. I saw the pic and thought, woah buddy, that's a big croc!

I don't know the difference between a croc and an alligator. I guess my science class never really got into that kind of thing. I know there is a difference, but am unsure of what it is.

And truthfully, I didn't even look at the vehicle or the people or the background. I just saw that BIG head and body. That's a lesson learned. Pay attention to detail.

 

[Skyrmir]

I'm still waiting for someone to run into a nile croc here in Florida. It hasn't happened yet, but someone is either gonna find the remains or a live one eventually.

Hurricane Andrew obliterated an alligator farm/zoo that happened to have some nile crocs. After the clean up, they never did find all the crocs, or alligators, or other reptiles they had. They might have died, they could still be hiding. Knowing how many strange species are running around down here though, my money says we'll find um just after a few strange 'fishing' accidents some day.

 

[Toirtis]

I'm still waiting for someone to run into a nile croc here in Florida. It hasn't happened yet, but someone is either gonna find the remains or a live one eventually.

Or a saltie...one wonders just how many privately-owned large crocs are in the south....as it is, the bayou and Florida canals already have thriving populations of Burmese pythons and water monitors.

 

[Serge]

Stay out the water in New Orleans.. This is amazing

Got this from my brother today! 8O

Now this is a Crocodile!

This crocodile was found in New Orleans swimming down the street. 21 FT long, 4,500 lbs, around 80 years old minimum. Specialists said that he was looking to eat humans because he was too old to catch animals. This crocodile was killed by the army last Sunday at 3:00 pm, currently he is in the freezer at the Azur hotel. The contents of it's stomach will be analyzed this Friday at 2:30pm.

Eewww...
8)

 

[oscarbreeder]

WOW!!! 8O

 

[Jchillin]

Yeowch!!! Big ole' dude.

 

[Zagz]

Holy crap! That is one big croc. Too bad for him he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although his presence could have been a horrible ending for some unlucky people.

 

[krap101]

http://www.snopes.com/katrina/photos/crocodile.asp

 

[Todd2]

Aww, had to spoil it for us krap101. Even if its not 21 ft. that thing looks HUGE.