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Maria Novelo reporting...
"A crocodile attack in the San Juan Area of San Pedro Town has left one man recovering from injuries sustained in the incident. According to a release from the American Crocodile education Sanctuary (ACES), around two on Saturday morning a resident of San Juan, thirty year old David Tut, who we were told was a proficient swimmer found himself in an area of the lagoon near Zacbajo where an alleged twelve foot crocodile resided. While in the water, the American crocodile sprung out and grabbed Tut by the head and pulled him under water. Fortunately, Tut managed to grab a hold of the Crocs top and lower jaw and pried open his mouth to get his head free. Tut suffered approximately four bite marks to the neck and one to the head. Tut was taken to the clinic of doctor Daniel Gonzalez for medical care, but due to the severity of his injuries was later flown to the Karl Heusner memorial hospital. As in such cases, ACES were called in and according to Owner and Research Biologist Vince Rose, once a crocodile is accustomed to being fed by humans, they learn to associate humans as a source of food. According to Tut's wife, he has been released from the KHMH and is recovering at home. Investigations will continue into the nature of this incident and ACES will continue with its efforts to remove any problematic crocodiles from residential areas of San Pedro Town. Meanwhile, ACES is fundraising to construct a new facility for the security of these crocodiles in a location north of Ambergris Caye."

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Wild 13-foot croc attacks David Tuts during late-night swim

An American man is lucky to be alive today, after he was reportedly bitten in the head and then dragged underwater by a wild 13-foot crocodile during a late-night swim.

On Saturday, August 20, at around 2:00 a.m., David Tuts, an excellent diver and a resident of San Juan, Ambergris Caye, went into the lagoon near the Zacbago Bar for a swim. Moments later, an American Crocodile bit him on the head and then dragged him underwater, reported research biologist and wildlife behaviorist, Cherie Rose, who said she captured the croc on Sunday and relocated it to a sanctuary on the island.

Tuts wrestled himself from the mighty crocodile's hold and swam to safety, then ran home.

He was treated in San Pedro for bite marks on his neck, and later flown to Belize City, where he is listed in a critical but stable condition.

Rose said that the crocodile had been fed by locals.

Rose and her husband, Vince Rose, were in local and international news last year after their crocodile sanctuary (ACES) was burned down in Toledo by angry locals, after an oracle had told them that two missing children, Benjamin and Onelia Rash, 11 and 9, respectively, had been fed to the crocodiles at ACES.

The couple was devastated over their loss and later moved to Ambergris Caye, where they continued to relocate the American Crocodiles.

Cherie Rose said that in April, ACES was informed of a large crocodile which had been eating pets in the same vicinity where Tuts had gone to swim.

"On April 13, ACES was able to capture the crocodile and relocated it as far north as possible. He was named Barry," said Rose.

"Since then," Rose went on to state, "ACES has not received any complaints about a problem croc in that area. The croc we captured last night was Barry. So, as we have stated several times, relocation is not a solution to the problem."

"Even though we do place magnets on their heads during relocation to try to confuse them, the crocs can and often do return. Before the arson of ACES, Barry would have been taken to PG and held in a large natural habitat that was securely fenced at ACES for people to view safely and learn about crocodiles and their importance in Belize's ecosystems," explained Rose.

She said that the loss of ACES was a huge loss for the entire country of Belize. She further explained that without a humane and proper holding facility for these large, problematic, apex predators, the only means of ensuring safety is to relocate the crocodiles and hope that they don't return to populated areas.

"The reason this croc attacked a human was because it was being illegally fed by humans. Once any apex predator is fed by a human being, whether a bear, lion or a crocodile, they lose their natural fear of humans and learn immediately to associate humans with food. This association is so strong that the animal will seek out humans for food and in turn the human often becomes the food. As stated, last night we captured a 13-foot croc in the area of the attack (Barry), and have him in a small holding facility at the new ACES we are trying to start here on the island," she said. "This habitat was not built for such a large croc and if we do not receive donations to complete a larger habitat for him, he may have to be euthanized. We will not re-release him."

Currently, ACES is securing more funding to rebuild a habitat for the crocodiles at the mainland facility at Caribbean Shrimp Farm in Ladyville.

"Two of the largest crocs we had in PG, George and Xanadu, are currently contained at this new facility. Our goal is relocate the others there as well. The croc that allegedly attacked Mr. Tuts was not one from the facility in PG. It has been identified by residents as a local croc that has lived in the area for many years and is fed by everyone," she said.

Amandala will update its readers on Tuts' condition, as soon as we are able to contact him or his family.

http://www.amandala.com.bz/index.php?id=11600

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"Even though we do place magnets on their heads during relocation to try to confuse them, the crocs can and often do return.

In an effort to relocate Boa Constrictors, we have alot of them here. Up to 10 ft. and large Wish Willys on our Caye Caulker property we mark them with spray paint. Then relocate them as far away as the island allows, they always return.The Island is just to small.


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Man Beats Back Man-Eating Croc

As San Pedro Town expands in all directions across Ambergris Caye - the human population is steadily pushing into areas formerly occupied by wild animals - particularly crocodiles.

And increasingly there's close contact between the human population and those crocodiles. That's what confronted David Tut of the San Juan area of San Pedro on Saturday morning at 2:00 am when he was returning home: He was attacked by an American crocodile.

Now - if we followed the script of man versus croc - this story should be about a killer croc who claimed the life of a San Pedro man. But, it turns out, Tut is not an average guy; in the dark of the early morning he fought off the croc and got away.

He told Monica Bodden how he did it today:..

Monica Bodden Reporting
30 year old David Tut -is an experienced tour guide of San Pedro Town - But today he is also known on the island as the man who fought off a crocodile and survived to tell the story.

It happened on Saturday morning a little after 2 o'clock. Tut told us he was walking in the mangroves near the lagoon in the San Juan Area of San Pedro Town - when he heard a noise.

David Tut - Crocodile Survivor
"I was on the edge of the mangrove and I heard like rapid movement towards me but I am not sure if its humans trying to rob me - I am not thinking crocodile and so I jump in the water - in a narrow little stream of the river and got to the edge and then climb to the mangrove and I keep hearing like noise coming towards me. I went into the mangrove and heard the mangrove cracking and so I hop in the water to get away - not thinking that I am in the crocodile zone and as I move away maybe 50 feet from where I jump in I hear a splash in the water but I can't see anybody, it was dark and I couldn't see anybody. I notice that I was going a little off into the deep and I was crawling because I couldn't walk in the swamp - I was doing some back strokes trying to get to the edge - I just heard a plunge - like something sprang at me."

Tut was attacked by an American Crocodile. Half his head was inside the predator's mouth.

David Tut - Crocodile Survivor
"It was a lot of pressure - the blow to the head almost knock me out. It tried to shake me around and I scream heard. I was trying to push my hand into him and he tried to open his mouth to try to get a better grip of me - that's when I manage to put my hands."

The entire time Tut held unto the crocodile's jaw - fighting for his life -and trying to get a proper grip - so that he could unlock his head from the creature's mouth.

David Tut - Crocodile Survivor
"I was holding on to his jaw because I could feel him ripping my neck, so as I put my hand there he tried to get a better grip and he was shaking me around. I just try to hold on and scream and as he try to swallow me I manage to get a better grip and struggle to get him off of me."

Tut managed to escape from the deadly jaws of the American crocodile as the animal let go and then dived under the murky waters.

With blood gushing from the left side of his neck, and the crocodile still lurking under the water where he was- Tut was nowhere close to being safe.

David Tut - Crocodile Survivor
"I saw him just dive down to the side and I was going to turn my back and crawl away but I knew if I do that he was going to jump on my back. Keeping on a back stroke trying to get to the mangrove - it's a lot of swamp. I was barely struggling but I know I have to keep breathing and I notice that there was some big holes in my neck and they were bleeding really heavy and so he leap at me again. I saw this thing jump but its dark and I know it was a crocodile because he doesn't make any noise and I could hear a little snap so I manage to kick with my feet and my hands to just push him away and got lucky and grip into the mangrove."

After the second attack and narrowly escaping death once again - Tut managed to reach near the edge of the mangroves and pulled himself up.

David Tut - Crocodile Survivor
"I was losing my breathe to almost faint - it was getting cold and that's when I knew I haven't got much time - I am bleeding and so I took my shirt off and wrap it around my neck. There were a couple gashes and so I had to put the shirt on my hand but I was in the mangrove and there was no roads there - there is no quick exit. I was stumbling going headways crawling in the mud and I knew at that point it didn't matter if I get scrapes or cuts - I just got to get out of there, I knew I haven't had much time."

Tut made it out the marshy area in time and struggled to his house which is about a block away. That was when his family along with a few police officers took him to the Island's Doctor. On Saturday morning he flew to Belize City for treatment. He had four piercings to the left side of his neck and one in his head.

The organization called ACES - which stands for American Crocodile Education Sanctuary - and is stationed on the island - later learned about the incident. They were informed by residents of the area -that the crocodile that attacked Tut is a resident croc in the lagoon and is fed by everyone. On Saturday afternoon, their team went to survey the area and a crocodile trapped was set. Later that night this 13 foot American Crocodile - about 7 hundred and 50 pounds - was trapped.

In April that same crocodile was relocated from the area and was tagged as #32 and named Barry.

Monica Bodden
"What will be done to this crocodile here?"

Vice Rose - Founder of Aces
"This crocodile and all crocodiles that have been fed that have lost their fear of humans only have two choices; to be euthanized and or sanctuaries, zoos - places like that. That's where the unwanted animals go to. We are in the process of trying to build a little sanctuary holding facility here on San Pedro now because this is where the biggest conflicts come into place with these crocodiles. On the facility you saw this crocodile inn is meant for 5-6 foot crocodile and not a 13 foot crocodile and so we are still in the process of building and then hopefully we can get the next pen built which will be twice as large for a crocodile this size. But remember we are not in charge `of the wildlife in the country. The Belize Forest Department is. They will determine the fate of this animal. It's truly up to them. There is also no positive evidence that this very croc indeed to the damage. All we know is that where the incident took place within 24 hours we had caught a large crocodile that has been caught before. We have caught this crocodile 4 months ago, tag it and relocated it up north and it took him about 4 months to find his way back down here again. But everyone already knew that this was a problematic crocodile."

And even though there is no positive evidence that it was indeed this croc that attacked Tut - he will be kept in this holding facility - since he is considered problematic.

Vice Rose - Founder of Aces
"This particular animal is not known to be an aggressive man eater in any way shape or form but once again if you feed a large apex predator, naturally and normally it will run from you but once it's been fed directly or indirectly - once its lost its fear to human there are no guarantees. You basically created a time-bomb. This croc can explode at any time he wants because he no longer fears human."

"Absolute death was not far away. If this indeed was the crocodile. That crocodile is probably 750 pounds and it wouldn't take anything for him to drag someone under water and kill him. They are dangerous animal. That's why they are left alone and never fed."

David Tut - Crocodile Survivor
"No it's not the pain. It's just remembering the trauma of this attack. It's still painful."

Monica Bodden
"So every time you close your eyes you picture that night."

David Tut - Crocodile Survivor
"Yeah every time a relative or a friend comes over and ask what happen and I started talking about - its right back to having this guy trying to rip my head away. Yeah it is a little traumatizing and I am still into a shock but I say to them that I am not going to stay here; I am going to fight for this. So how exactly I survive? I am not too sure about it."

And even though Barry is safely locked in a holding facility on the island -the decision on whether he lives or is euthanized will be made by the Forestry Department.

Channel 7


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Press Release - American Crocodile Education Sanctuary - August 20, 2011- At approximately 2:00 am this morning, Saturday, August 20, 2011, Mr. David Tuts of San Juan, Ambergris Caye, went for a swim in the lagoon area near his home where he was attacked by an American crocodile. Vince Rose of the American Crocodile Education Sanctuary (ACES) responded to the incident. Mr. Tuts's sister informed Mr. Rose that David is an excellent diver and just decided to go for a swim. According to his sister the crocodile suddenly grabbed David by the head and pulled him under the water. Miraculously, David was able to grab a hold of the croc's top and lower jaw and opened its mouth enough to get his head free, where he then swam to safety. He ran to his home one block away and was taken to Dr. Daniel Gonzalez for medical care. Due to the severity of his injuries David was flown to the KHMH in Belize City where he is reportedly in stable condition but being kept for observation in case of infection. David was extremely lucky and his fast thinking just may have saved his life. Although stable, David is still in a serious condition. Crocodiles' mouths carry many bacteria that can cause serious infections.

ACES was informed by a reliable source that the crocodile is a resident croc in the lagoon area between San Juan and The Boatyard and that local residents are in the habit of feeding it. According to crocodile experts, American crocodiles are intelligent apex predators and if fed, even one time by man, they learn to associate humans as a source of food.

For the last several years ACES, the Belize Forest Department and The San Pedro Sun have been vigilante in educating island residents to the dangers of illegally feeding these predators. After years of research, scientists and professionals have ascertained that when humans feed crocodiles it changes the crocs natural behavior of fearing humans to not fearing humans. Thus, the fed crocs begin to associate humans with food and humans can in turn become food. Once an animal has been feed this association cannot be reversed.

Investigations will continue into the nature of this attack and ACES will attempt to remove the crocodile. ACES is a non-profit crocodile rescue organization and if funds cannot not be raised to contain the animal at the new facility they are currently constructing north of San Pedro, the animal may need to be euthanized. ACES is accepting donations, from construction materials to cash to complete the refuge and have already received a $10,000 donation to begin the project. Once completed, problematic crocs can be caught and placed in secure habitats at the facility for the public to safely view and learn about the importance of crocodiles in keeping our ecosystems in balance. To donate go to AmericanCrocodileSanctuary.org or email [email protected]

When crocodiles are illegally feed they become conditioned to associate man with food.

 

The ACES team has been capturing and relocating problem crocodiles for the last several years.

 

If the animal is not problematic and is healthy ACES relocates him to an area that is less populated by people. If the animal is ill or cannot be rehabilitated it must remain in the ACES facility.

San Pedro Sun


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Croc Attack Update

Press Release – American Crocodile Education Sanctuary – August 23, 2011- On Sunday the 21, 2011, ACES/American Crocodile Education Sanctuary set a net trap in the lagoon of the San Juan area where the reported croc attack on Mr. David Tuts had occurred the previous morning. At 10pm ACES received notice that there was a large croc in the trap. The ACES team raced to the net where a large, 13 foot, male, American crocodile was trapped. Upon examination it was determined that the croc was tagged #32 (and named Barry) from a previous ACES capture and release effort in April 2011. Although the animal had been relocated to a wild area several miles away it had returned to its original home, as some crocodiles will do.

In order to determine if this crocodile is responsible for the attack, the ACES team plans to interview Mr. Tuts as soon as he is available and take measurements of the bite diameter. This will aide in determining if the large 13-foot croc is indeed the same animal that attacked him.

Croc # 32 AKA Barry was first captured in April 2011 when ACES received complaints that the animal was eating local dogs.

ACES moved Barry to a small holding facility north of San Pedro where they are currently building a new sanctuary. The small containment structure is intended for another croc that is injured named Jaws. This habitat was not built for such a large croc, and if ACES does not soon receive donations to complete a larger habitat for him, Barry may have to be euthanized as he is too dangerous to be re-released.

Normally ACES would have taken Barry to their facility in Punta Gorda and the croc would have been contained in a large natural habitat that was securely fenced for people to view safely and learn about crocodiles and their importance in Belize’s ecosystems. Tragically the sanctuary succumbed to arson last September and this is no longer an option. Without a humane and proper holding facility for these large problematic apex predators, the only means of ensuring safety is to relocate them and hope they don’t return to populated areas. The ACES facility in Ladyville is currently under construction and with one 14 foot male already in captivity there, it is not possible to humanely house another large, dominant, male croc like Barry. If the two crocs where placed together they would most likely fight to the death.

The reason this croc attacked a human was because he has been illegally fed by humans. Once an apex predator is fed by a human being, whether a bear, lion or a crocodile, they lose their natural fear of humans and learn immediately to associate humans with food. This association is so strong that the animal will seek out humans for food and in turn the human often becomes the food.

ACES is currently trying to raise funding for a small croc refuge on the island to care for ill and injured crocs, and hold large problematic crocs, such as Barry, until they can be transported to larger habitats at the ACES in Ladyville as construction allows. One habitat on the island is partially finished by a donation from the Plunkett Family of the Doris Wilderness while the property is provided by Mario Cervoni.

ACES can be contacted at 631-6366 or 666-3871 or emailed at [email protected]. Donations can be made directly to Belize Bank account ACES #630-2-2-21-5255 or through their USA 501(c)(3) partner BEEDFund online at americancrocodilesanctuary.org


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David Tuts, 30, recovering from Saturday's croc attack

On Monday, we reported that a man had survived a crocodile attack in the wee hours of Saturday, August 20, in a lagoon in San Juan, Ambergris Caye.

Reportedly, David Tuts, 30, had gone for a swim when suddenly, an American crocodile measuring about 13 feet in length grabbed him, and then pulled him underwater.

We were told that the crocodile had him by the head, but somehow, Tuts managed to open the crocodile's jaw to free his head from the reptile's powerful grip.

Once freed, Tuts swam to safety and then ran to his home, which is only a block away from where the incident occurred.

He was initially treated for bite wounds in the neck, and later flown to Belize City.

A reliable source has since told us that Tuts is doing well and is back in San Juan, Ambergris Caye. The suspected culprit, named "Barry," had been located in April by ACES on the north side of the island.

On Sunday, ACES captured Barry in the same area where Tuts had been attacked, but it was uncertain if Barry had been the crocodile that attacked Tuts. Did he return after been relocated 4 months ago?

According to research biologist & wildlife behaviorist, Cherie Rose of ACES, once any apex predator is fed by humans; they lose their natural fear for humans and learn to associate humans with food.

According to some of our sources, the crocs were being and are still being illegally fed by locals in Ambergris Caye.

Today, Rose told us that they can't be 100% certain if Barry is responsible for Tuts' injuries. This morning, Wednesday, another croc, whose tag number is 26 and who has been classified as "problematic," was captured.

According to Rose, the croc was removed on May 15, from the WASA lagoon, where he was being illegally fed as a tourist attraction for years by local boys.

"This is the first he has turned up since then; and he did show up in the pool at Las Terrazas. Because he was fed, he seeks out people for an easy meal. The capture was successful and we relocated him again north of there in an unpopulated lagoon area,'' said Rose.

Last year, ACES - a crocodile sanctuary in Toledo, was burnt down by an angry mob after a local "oracle" had told them that two missing brothers, Benjamin, 11, and Onelia Rash, 9, had been fed to the crocodiles.

Another habitat is being built in Ladyville, and funding for its completion is being secured.

Amandala


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