Crocodile Gustav Wikipedia. The largest crocodile. Crocodile Gustav: photo, description.
Gustav- it's massive Nile crocodile, living in Burundi. In 2004, this venerable resident of Africa turned 60 years old.
It weighs 20 feet and is 6.1 meters long. Gustav weighs more than one ton. The few who have seen the crocodile confirm that Gustav is the largest individual on the planet. Gustav is a famous cannibal, it is said that he ate more than three hundred victims. Mostly people who died were fishing along the banks of the Ruzizi River and on the northern coast of Lake Tanganyika. Although, the indicated number of deaths is clearly overestimated. Authority Gustav has grown so much that now it is feared not only in the area around its habitat. According to eyewitnesses, Gustav may not finish eating a corpse if the person is not to his taste 
Name Gustav the crocodile received from Patrice Faye, a French resident who arrived in Burundi. Faye is a self-taught naturalist who has been observing crocodiles since 1998. Faye and a group of like-minded people who made films about the life of crocodiles tried to catch Gustav in 2002. After several unsuccessful attempts, the crocodile escaped from the people who caught it. Documentary footage of the hunt for Gustav was edited into a movie " Killer Croc", which aired on PBS in May 2004. Gustav was last seen in February 2008.
Since the Chamwat tigress has changed a lot, Patrice Faye no longer wants to kill Gustave. He wants to protect him from human retribution; By capturing Gustave alive and holding him in a secure facility, Fay hopes to save human lives as well as the human eater himself, and possibly use him as breeding stock to help preserve Nile the crocodile. The corps has already been built in the Ruzizi National Park in Burundi, awaiting capture greatest man our time.
I wish to tell you that it is famous for having the largest freshwater crocodiles on Earth, reticently admitting that they have eaten a few and sad to say that they have disappeared from the shores of Lake Tanganyika and are crawling out of the Ruzizi River due to excessive poaching.
But Gustav is not the only huge crocodile living on our planet. Found in parts of Asia and Australia saltwater crocodiles
(Crocodylus porosus), whose length reached 6 meters (20 feet). In eastern India, a crocodile more than seven meters long entered the Book of Records. 
It is easy to identify a crocodile named Gustav. Bullet scars are visible on his body: one scar is visible on his head, three on his right side.
It was at this time that Albert Ngendera, who like many Burundians had eaten a crocodile, decided to lock up 12 crocodiles and save them from the pot by placing them on the porch of his home in the capital Bujumbura. I've had dogs before - about 10 - but dogs are of no use. They are there for safety, but nothing more. These animals, they're a joy to look at, he says, crouching next to the small feather where his scaly pets walk around all day and enjoy the odd dip in the little ponds.
Four crocodiles died from poisoned food that neighbors threw over a fence, perhaps remembering the beast that put Burundi on the map for wildlife, as well as the war 10 years ago: Gustave. So far he has had no place to put them, but he hopes that the land promised to him by the government will one day come through so that he can finally develop his wildlife park, which includes a restaurant where crocodiles are off the menu.
Due to its great weight and enormous size, Gustav is unable to hunt small fish, so heavy animals such as wildebeest, zebras... and people become victims of the crocodile.
The latest information about Gustav was received in February 2009. At that time, the famous crocodile still lived in the Ruzizi River valley.
The largest alligator was caught in the African Republic of Burundi in 2002. A French hunter named Patrice Fayet lured a crocodile into a cage by tying a live goat inside it.
“People can just eat loaves and fishes like Jesus,” he says, likening his home to Noah's Ark as he displays his collection of cobras, chimpanzees, turtles and monkeys that he rescues from hunters. The President of Burundi called Albert to discuss his dilemma, but getting land for animals in one of the most populous countries on Earth is difficult.
The zoo relies on selling 3 guinea pigs and 7 rabbits for tourists to feed the crocodiles to keep the place afloat. Albert wants to expand his ark to include lions, giraffes and tigers. He refuses to believe he doesn't have the latter, "because Tanzania has everything." If not, he will settle for the leopard.
The green monster was immediately twisted and measured. Its weight turned out to be more than a ton, and its length was 6 meters. The crocodile was quite old - almost a hundred years old, so out of respect for his age he was named Gustav.
“We will never forget this very moment, we froze in horror, a chill ran through our bodies from the picture seen at that very moment. We saw Gustav’s huge head sticking out of the water, greedily and cruelly chewing human remains, while he looked at us with those yellow eyes and a look that simply turned us off at that moment. We just froze at that moment and didn’t understand what was happening, after a while Gustav’s head sank into the water and disappeared into a bloody area of water. This was our first and last meeting with the legend of the African lake - Gustav.”
The government does not have the means to block crocodiles, says Ferouzi Mohamed, director general of Burundi's environment ministry. “But even if we did, we would not have included this species from its natural habitat.” Mohamed relies on a law that threatens crocodile hunters with a six-month prison sentence and a fine. But if Burundi really wants to save its crocos, it better do it instantly, or they will only be immortalized in legends.
If your average safari holiday promises too little jittery kitzel, it's recommended that you take your next African trip to East Africa's Burundi - or rather to National Park Ruzizi on Lake Tanganyika. There, a friend of a friend could meet a serial killer. In the Ruzizi River delta, the crocodile Gustave has been scurrying about for many years.
From the notes of a journalist who explored Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Africa)
There are many legendary killer animals in the world, there are even a dozen of the most famous. Each of them has its own name. But I would like to stop at the very well-known representative this ten, on the giant killer crocodile Gustav, the famous legend of the African Lake Tanganyika. Indeed, looking at the representatives of this ten, we see that in this moment not one of them is alive anymore, and not one of them has such a list of victims as the crocodile Gustav.
Taking body count as a guide, Gustave is one of the worst male eaters of all time. More than 300, he was already mocking. And, of course, Gustave brought him glory with so many victims. Like the bull's eye in the painting, Gustave belongs to the crocodiles of the Nile.
Gustave is often described as the world's largest crocodile in newspapers and on television. However, a requirement that cannot be maintained. With an estimated length of six meters, Gustave is much larger than the average Nile crocodile, but not enough for a world record. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the best performer is a 7.1 meter long crocodile crocodile living in India's Bhitarkanika National Park. No reason for Gustave's sadness: being an African record holder is not something to be despised.
Gustav is one of the largest male Nile crocodiles known to science and the world. And, the largest and most brutal crocodile on the African continent. Although there is still controversy regarding its type. The practical majority is confident that Gustav is clearly a representative of the Nile crocodiles, but there is another point of view that suggests that Gustav is a representative of the saltwater crocodiles. Based on Gustav’s external features, one can indeed speculate about his origin as a saltwater crocodile, but it is well known that this type Crocodiles do not live in the African zone. Saltwater crocodiles found in Australia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
Many people believe that Gustave sometimes kills out of sheer murder. The actual number of victims of Gustave - also rumored to be the wife of the Russian ambassador to Burundi - is the subject of much debate. Many researchers do not believe that one crocodile could be responsible for so many deaths. However, if one asks the residents of the Ruzizi Delta, it is often heard that the figure of 300 dead is still quite underestimated.
Gustave's unfortunate victims are almost always found missing arms, legs and heads, as Gustave - like many other crocodiles - tends to eat only parts human body, which he can easily break from the barrel. However, sometimes Gustave does not eat his victims. One of the reasons why many residents believe that the huge armored engine kills from time to time just from pure murder. However, according to experts, crocodiles usually do not kill them. But Gustave, of course, is nothing more than an ordinary crocodile.
The habitat of the legendary man-eating crocodile is the banks of the Ruzizi River and Lake Tanganyika in Burundi in Africa. As researchers and journalists who visited Burundi note, local residents They are very afraid of Gustav and even worship him. They elevate Gustav to the category of mythical characters and creatures, some even call Gustav the devil of Burundi. Almost all local residents of Burundi living near the lake and river have peculiar totems in the image of a crocodile, which they consider Gustav to be and worship him daily. Gustav's age is currently believed to be over 60 years. That is, this is an old and very experienced predator.
Science and the press speculated about why Gustave was confused with a serial killer. Meanwhile, there are almost as many theories as there are dead. Thus, Gustave's fate for human flesh may be associated with the sacrifices of a bloody and prolonged civil war V Democratic Republic Congo, whose corpses were often simply thrown into the Ruzizi River and, undoubtedly, supplemented the circle of local crocodiles. Another hypothesis is that it is her size and enormous weight that prevent Gustave from capturing fast and moving animals such as zebras or antelopes.
Gustav the crocodile measures just over 6 meters in length. Previously, before the events in the Philippines, Gustav was considered the largest crocodile known to science, but not so long ago, a killer combed crocodile also caught in the Philippines turned out to be the largest in size at the moment. True, according to various unconfirmed reports, there are also 7-meter combed crocodiles.
This is why he specialized in more difficult prey, such as small hippos or humans. On the other hand, it is a real miracle that Gustave is still alive, because in the past, not only hunters, but also policemen and soldiers have tried countless times to succumb to the gluttonous "monster". Burundian soldiers are said to have been shot several times at close range with machine pistols in Gustav. However, the success of these efforts has always been zero. This does not harm Gustav. He simply swallowed the balls, a common explanation among locals for the supposed strength of the terrible crocodile's stride.
According to naturalists and researchers of crocodiles, due to the enormous size and very correspondingly large weight (more than a ton), Gustav does not hunt fish, antelopes, zebras (the standard diet of crocodiles), since they are too fast for him, but conducts his hunt mainly on much larger animals: hippopotamuses, buffaloes and... humans. Usually, by their nature, crocodiles are afraid of hippopotamuses and always avoid them, because it is the hippopotamus that can easily tear apart even an adult and large crocodile, but, as you know, there are always exceptions to the rules in everything. In this case, it is Gustav - the legendary killer. There are a number of known cases of Gustav attacking large hippopotamus specimens, where Gustav always emerged victorious.
There are, however, numerous eyewitness reports that indicate unusual scars on Gustav's skull and right flank that indicate healed gunshot wounds. The population must be protected from the grinding crocodile, and Gustave behind bars is sure to become a magnet for crocodile lovers around the world - almost a major win for national park Ruzizi, which is not quite complete with highlights. But how can a six-meter crocodile survive? With amazing arrows, of course, because of the thick armor, no.
The extent of the trap was colossal: ten meters long, two meters wide and two meters high. It took more than 30 people to transport the steel monster to the shore of Lake Tanganyika. To lure Gustave into the trap, one tried it with a wide variety of baits. First with a live goat, then with bulls a smeared chicken, and when all this failed, the local medic's unloved dog had to serve as an attractant. Gustave, a few miles away, ate an unsuspecting fisherman.
But the world-famous crocodile Gustav brought horror to all of Africa, who became a local legend, and was not included in the previously mentioned top ten because of the killing of hippopotamuses. According to official data, the killer crocodile Gustav ate more than 300 people. But this is only confirmed data. When local residents believe that the list of people eaten by Gustav far exceeds this mark and is equivalent to 1000 people, and maybe more.
This was the end of all fishing attempts. Even today, Gustave is still found in the Ruzizi delta. But the one-time Saul has apparently changed to Paul, because from all we hear, no one has fallen victim to the once fearful "killing crocodile" in the last few months. The Ruzizi people also believe that the reason for this fact is that Gustave died of old age.
Until now, Lolong: The world's largest crocodile that lived in captivity is dead. From tip to tip it measured over six meters, a ton brought it to the scales. Now the giant is dead - to the horror of his masters. MANILA - Death brings everyone, even the longest. Now he has caught Lolong. Most big crocodile in a world that was in captivity, dead. A 6.17 meter long, about one tonne heavy saltwater crocodile died on Sunday evening at an ecotourism park in Bunawan in the Philippines. This is a very sad day for us,” the spokeswoman said. “He made our city famous.”
According to scientists and Gustav researchers, such a huge list and such a great interest of Gustav in man is due to the events that occurred in Burundi. The fact is that constant internal military conflicts and massacres led to the fact that people’s bodies were often simply thrown into the water and it was from them that Gustav constantly ate, although as subsequent history showed, Gustav got fed up with motionless dead bodies, and he began to hunt the living of people.
Mayor Edwin Elord appeared to be struggling at Monday's news conference, even tearing up. His city did not treat Lolon like a dangerous animal, but "like an adopted son." “The whole city, no, the whole province is mourning,” said Elord. Gradually his phones began to ring. "People wanted to tell me how they were taken."
The animal was captured two months earlier in the Agusan swamp on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Before this, they say, he ate a fisherman, a twelve-year-old girl and a water buffalo. But now it seems that Lolong will forgive all these sins. According to Elorda, the Christian group will pray before the autopsy. The people of Bunawan even planned funerals in which chickens and pigs were sacrificed - to the forest ghosts for the glory and other benefits that Lolong brought with it.
Gustav, unlike the behavior of ordinary crocodiles, which mainly hunt at dusk, spending the daytime in a daze in the water or on the shore, hunts at any time. Cases of many fatal attacks by Gustav were recorded mainly in the daytime, and even in the morning. As one might imagine, the huge interest in hunting and attacking humans is one of the many factors why Gustavus attracts enormous attention from all over the world.
Other benefits include the financial blessings that led to Lolong's arrival: every day, several visitors came to the park to admire the giant. Equally impressive were the animal protectionists with their demand to free Lolong because his body was too small.
In Bunawan we are now thinking about preparing a frame for posterity. People are no better than predators. People have to catch, block or kill everything that is in their way. From the tip of the rooster to the snout it measured more than six meters, a ton brought it to the scales.
Due to the great fame and popularity of the legendary man-eating crocodile, a large number of various American and European scientific expeditions, a large number of journalists from all countries and, of course, professional crocodile hunters were equipped and sent to Burundi. But not all hunters, journalists and researchers subsequently returned back in full force. Many cases of missing journalists have been officially confirmed, whose remains were subsequently found near the river after Gustav's attack... Many professional and non-professional hunters tried to hunt Gustav and in vain. Gustav can be easily recognized, as the body and head of the famous killer crocodile are covered with many battle scars from cuts and bullets.
Now Lolong is in best place. The world is still a much worse place than Europe. What does “no better than predators” or “still barbarians” mean? No place for wild animals! Very sad, people are still Babaren. Man has become an unprecedented brutal monster and should not be so self-confident as to be compared with predators. He killed his "prey" all his life to kill them, and then somehow unceremoniously and cowardly. There is no such thing as perversion in nature.
Beasts of prey and especially crocodiles often kill in seconds and otherwise have no direct influence on the previous existence of their prey or other creatures. It is certainly sad that this animal was captured. But don't just act as if it's a people race.
The fear and fear of local residents in Burundi and other regions of Africa, since the legend of Gustav is known throughout Africa, is also due to factors about the nature of Gustav’s attacks on people. The fact is that often after a fatal attack and murder of a person, Gustav did not eat his victim, but left him right at the place of death, which terrified people even more.
At times, Gustav disappears for a very long period, and it is during this very period that all residents near the Ruzizi River, Lake Tanganyika, as well as the states neighboring Burundi are very afraid. Often at this time, residents of these places simply do not go to the river. The fact is that very often these longest disappearances are associated with the breeding season. At this time, Gustav leaves his usual territories and goes in search of females. Tracking Gustav's movements during this very period is not difficult, but very dangerous. That’s why local residents called these movements “bloody.” Along the river coast, as well as in the water at a distance of his entire movement, a large number of victims of the cannibal torn to death are constantly found. Gustav tears apart every living thing that comes his way during this very period.
The killer crocodile received his legendary name - Gustav - from the famous self-taught French naturalist Patrice Faye. Since 1998, Patrice Faye has been studying and capturing crocodiles, so he first learned about the legend of the African lake, gathered many people and the necessary equipment, returned to Burundi more than once and made attempts to search and catch Gustav.
In 2002, Faye and his group almost succeeded in capturing the legendary crocodile. Having built special powerful iron cages and placed bait in them, they managed to lure Gustav there. But in the end, he again came out victorious, devouring the bait and breaking through the iron bars and went into the waters of Tanganyika.
I would also like to note that the case of “The Legend of the African Lake” could not be ignored by the bosses of American film studios, who made an interesting horror film about Gustav - “Primeval Evil”. The plot of the film tells about a group of reporters from the United States who learned about the legendary man-eating crocodile Gustav and came to Burundi to film a report about him, where they will have to face two horrors named Gustav at the same time.