NEWSFLASH

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CROCODILE FARMING SPREADS TO BACOLOD

Bacolod City, Oct. 14, 1997 - Crocodile breeding for profit has spread to Negros, where a crocodile farm is set to open in Dulao, Barangay Abuanan, Bago City. Diogracias Estrella , says he expects his first crocs to come in late this year from the Crocodile Farming Institute in Palawan, to be raised and bred by his Negros Occidental Crocodile Farm, Inc.

The first batch will consist of 7 male and 21 females. Eventually, Estrella hopes to breed 700, with half to be kept for export and the other half to the released into the three big rivers of the province: Bago River in Bago City, Bagatban River in Binalbagan and Tablan River in Ilog.

Arturo Bislig, chief of the provincial government's Protected Areas and Wildlife Division said the crocodiles are now an endangered species and have to be "replanted" in rivers again to allow them to propagate naturally. He calmed people's fears, saying that crocodiles are safe even if they're carnivorous, and do not attack humans unless they are hungry and hurt.

Farm-bred crocodiles are sold for export and are expected to boost the incomes of communities, aside from augmenting the country's dollar inflow. Crocodile leather is used for first-class bags, belts and luggage, while crocodile meat is served as specialty food in five-star restaurants.

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