One-Ton Croc Caught in Philippines

After a deadly attack, villagers in the Agusan del Sur province caught a record-breaking 20-foot saltwater crocodile weighing-in at over one ton. The crocodile had to be pulled by rope by some 100 villagers to a creek where it could be lifted onto a crane. Guinness Book of World Records lists the largest crocodile as just under 5¹/₂ meters, which this one bests, though authorities are still waiting to see if this is the largest crocodile ever captured.

It is certainly the largest caught in the Philippines in recent years and has allayed the fears of some area villagers, but not all. Many believe an even larger saltwater crocodile may be in the area.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Things What Done Fell from the Sky - Alligators

When Dr. J.L. Smith noticed something fall from the sky and start crawling toward his tent, he got up to find an alligator about 12" long. A moment later, Dr. Smith saw another come sailing from above and hit the ground just like the first.

Dr. Smith was in the process of opening up a new turpentine farm in Silvertown Township, South Carolina in 1877 when it rained alligators on him. After finding the second, he discovered six more within an area of approximately 200 yards. They fell upon high, sandy ground about six miles north of the Savannah River, according to him.

Due to the small number and the proximity of the river, it is quite possible that this small "nest" of a half-dozen alligators of similar length and size were simply displaced by a freak gust of wind, as is often suggested in such matters, but it would actually be one of the few times when such an explanation makes sense.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Has the Lizard Man Returned to South Carolina?

In 1988, a South Carolina resident claimed to have seen a 7' tall lizard-like creature with three fingers that stood on two feet. This report came in shortly after the sheriff investigated a car that had been mauled by... something. Tens of thousands of reporters, visitors, and hopeful cryptozoologists descended on small Lee County, hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever might have wreaked such havoc. Yet the Lizard Man was not seen.

That is, not until 2008, when yet another car had its bumpers and wheel wells shredded. Again came calls of a strange creature. Some eyewitnesses claim the Lizard Man of South Carolina had glowing red eyes, but agreed that it had only three fingers. Again, though residents searched, the Lizard Man was not found.

Just over the July 4^th weekend, yet another car was discovered torn apart by something(s) unknown, leaving many Lee County, South Carolina residents to speculate that the Lizard Man may have returned.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Nine-Foot Alligator in Arkansas!

Authorities say a 9' alligator may have surmounted two fences and gotten loose in the Pine Bluff area, about 50 miles outside of Little Rock. The male alligator was being housed at Gov. Mike Huckabee Delta Rivers Nature Center. Authorities now believe he is mingling with other alligators in the area.

So far, the beast has not been found!

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Record-Breaking Alligator Captured in Florida

Tres Ammerman was amazed when he caught a 14' alligator on Halloween, 2010. The gator, weighing-in at just over 654-lbs., is believed to be between 50 and 60 years old. Ammerman's catch is 3" longer than the state record, which was set in 1997. Ammerman is selling his catch to a taxidermist at $1000 per foot, for a net of $14,000 USD.

The largest alligator on record was caught in Louisiana and measured 19'.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Creepers Kill German Man, Eat His Corpse

30-year-old Mark Voegel did not bring visitors to his apartment because he kept a large collection of insects and lizards, many of which were very aggressive and highly poisonous. When the heating elements on the container holding his "pet" black widow spider exploded, releasing it and its termite prey, the spider bit Voegel, killing him.

When authorities arrive, they described a scene like that from "a horror movie." Voegel's body was stretched over his couch, in the process of being eaten by the 200+ insects and lizards he kept inside. Lizards ripped chunks of flesh from his corpse, which bird-eating insects then carried into their nests. Spiders, termites, and various insects crawled from the victim's mouth and nose, and termites had devoured far more than his flesh. His body was found only after neighbors complained of the smell.

Experts say most of the creatures in Voegel's apartment would never have been allowed in a residential home.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Monkey-Fighting Crocodile Kills 19 on Monday to Friday Plane

A crocodile smuggled aboard a small flight in the Democratic Republic of Congo in a passenger's duffel bag escaped, panicking passengers aboard and crashing the plane. Nineteen people aboard died as a result.

Authorities had to kill the crocodile on the ground when it emerged from the wreckage, but might not have gotten the story had it not been for a lone survivor of the flight who recounted the terrifying tale. When the crocodile emerged, passengers all went to one side of the plane to avoid it, causing the pilot to lose control of the imbalanced vessel.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Alligator in Michigan

This is a day for creatures far from their natural habitats, huh? Alligators, especially, as a Michigan man who was picking sweet corn near the Indiana border killed one with a crowbar!

According to him, two women a few rows over came running toward him, screaming that they had encountered an alligator. Upon investigating, the man says the alligator rushed him. Though he kept backing away, the alligator continued advancing. The man escaped, but worried about children being attacked, and got the 4' bar from his car. He then confronted the alligator and beat it to death. One Michigan official called the killing "extreme."

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Gator Forces Detour for New Jersey Walker

A woman on an afternoon stroll called authorities after spotting an alligator by a drainpipe near a middle school. While no students were in the school (which opens next week, following Labor Day), officials had to corral the creature and remove it.

It took area firefighters to flush it out of the drainpipe after local wildlife authorities unsuccessfully tried to lure it out with a hot dog. A state Fish and Wildlife official was called-in and removed the alligator from the Wayne County school. Authorities believe it may have been an exotic pet which outgrew its "welcome."

The alligator is believed to be American. Experts are trying to find it a new home.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Komodo Dragons Are Poisonous

Contrary to common belief, researchers have determined that Komodo dragons are, in fact, venomous.

For years, scientists and zoologists believed Komodo dragons' mouths were simply bilious, filled with virulent bacteria that was passed on through their bite. This bacteria was thought to be the source of infection victims incurred. However, new research shows the largest known land lizard has venom glands with ducts attached to their teeth.

Komodo dragons, like Pit Bulls, attach themselves to their prey and hold on. Research shows their skulls are built to withstand this. The venom they produce is only ¹/₆ the strength of that found in the Australian water crocodile, but is believed to have come from the same ancestor - most likely, the extinct Megalania.

One expert called the concept "radical" and questioned why such glands had not been discovered previously in dissected specimens. However, he also said "it does all seem to make sense."

The bacterium theory was posited in a 1981 book and has been widely-spread, but was never actually proven.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Another Komodo Dragon Attack

Yet another man has been killed by komodo dragons. This time, it was 32-year old Muhamad Anwar of Indonesia. Anwar was trespassing on an island which was cordoned off due to the high number of komodo dragons. Anwar went looking for sugar-apples when he was attacked by one or more komodo dragons and severely injured. Other fishermen took the man to a hospital in Bali, but he had already bled to death by the time they got him there.

Komodo dragons can run as fast as dogs in short bursts and kill animals with a swipe of their powerful tails. While attacks on humans are generally rare, there have been several the past few years.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Fewer Leaves Led to Frogs' Decline

Now We Know What Happened to Pepe!

Scientists working in Costa Rica have come to a startling conclusion as to the decline of the frogs' species in the region after studying 35+ years' worth of data: Fewer leaves on the ground seem to be the cause.

A fungal infection was previously assumed to be the culprit, but scientists noticed that the population of lizards who were immune to the infection were also in decline.  Amphibians have declined by up to 75% since 1970, yet scientists insist there is no human cause-effect relationship -- such as the destruction of their habitat by encroaching industrial efforts.  This percentage in decline directly correlated with the decline in leaf litter on the ground, which provides the creatures with both food and shelter.

The new suspect?

Global warming.

UPDATE:  "Global Warming" or -- as we Old Folk were taught to call it --"The Greenhouse Effect," is a very real, and very direct, by-product of Industrial pollution -- specifically, fossil fuel consumption and the eradication of millions of miles of trees and foliage (especially in tropical rainforests, such as the Amazon).  The "Scientific Community" refuses to acknowledge this because they are intellectually dishonest, and corrupt to the core; they would rather soak-up "free" grant money (that we taxpayers are forced to provide to further such MISO) than stand-up to the corporate giants responsible.  The few who do often wind-up featured on this blog as dead or missing.

However, there are some (too few) within the scientific community who refuse to be terrorized into silence and submission.  They never receive "mainstream" coverage but, once again, they do receive coverage on The OddBlog.  Then they wind-up dead or missing (so we get two posts out of the deal).

Fewer leaves on the ground means fewer trees, not "Global Warming."  That's common sense -- which is why mainstream "scientists" can't seem to figure that out.  We hope they enjoy cashing the checks we (and the oil companies) provide. - 2018