Hong Kong's celebrity croc breaks its two-month fast since capture
HONG KONG: A crocodile that captivated Hong Kongers by eluding capture for months has taken its first bite of food since it was snared more than two months ago, officials said Saturday.
The 1.5 meter (5-foot) croc - recently named Pui Pui or "precious one'' - turned into a celebrity after avoiding persistent capture attempts with dart guns, harpoons and traps by officials and experts from Australia and China.
It refused all food including fish, chicken and frogs after its capture on June 10. But wildlife officials believe Pui Pui finally broke its fast, consuming half a dead fish placed in its mouth Wednesday.
"We couldn't find remains of the fish anywhere in her enclosure the next day, so we think Pui Pui has eaten it,'' said Ann Houng, an education officer at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden Research Institute.
Houng said Pui Pui's renewed interest in food is a sign that she's adapting to her temporary home. She will be moved to a government wetlands park by the end of 2005.
The croc, which was first spotted in a murky suburban creek in November, eventually walked into a trap set up by the government.
Hong Kong has no native crocodile species and it remains a mystery where the beast came from. Local media have speculated it was an abandoned pet, or an escapee from a mainland Chinese crocodile farm. - AP
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