Lolong suffered from stress while caged — DENR exec

Lolong's captivity is partly to blame for its death, an official from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said Monday. Though Lolong's death is attributed to chronic pneumonia, Nelson Devanadera, assistant director of  DENR's Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (DENR-PAWB), said the crocodile's environment has contributed to its death. "Basically, stress problem," Devanadera told GMA News Online on Monday. "Hindi niya kasi magamit ang thermoregulating mechanism niya dahil sa limited space ng kanyang cage." Lolong, the largest crocodile in the world prior to its death last month, was captured in Agusan Marsh in Agusan del Sur in September 2011 and was brought to an open-air enclosure in Bunawan town The result of the histopathologic examination — or the microscopic examination of tissue in order to study the manifestations of disease — showed Lolong died of chronic pneumonia complicated by multiple organ failure conducted. The examination was conducted by the UPLB-College of Veterinary Medicine, which turned over the findingS to the DENR-PAWB. "Parang lung cancer ito," Devanadera said. "Nagkaroon ng fungal infection sa kanyang tissues, sa kanyang lungs." Devanadera also said that due to Lolong's size, the animal “suffered in his environment.” "The crocodile is too heavy, too big for his cage," he said. "Yes, he may have suffered in his environment." The crocodile has also suffered a congestive heart failure, fatty liver and kidney failure, Devanadera added. Captive animals Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has said that captive animals like Lolong die younger than their counterparts in the wild. "Lolong suffered and died because people wanted to make money off his captivity," PETA said in a statement. "Crocodiles are hardwired to roam freely, seek out mates, and hunt for food. These genetic imperatives are compelling, and the way that they are fulfilled in the wild cannot be replicated in captivity," it added. Devanadera said the enclosure of captive animals should simulate the wild. "Well, it (animals in captivity) is okay if the environment simulate outside, the wild," he said when asked for a comment regarding PETA's claim. "The environment in Agusan Marsh is perfect sana, malaki ang space, but he has become a threat to humans, threat siya sa community," he said. "Ang size niya talaga, nakakakain ng mga tao." — KBK, GMA News