Lolong was caught in a
Bunawan creek in the province of
Agusan del Sur in the
Philippines on 3 September 2011. He was captured with the joint cooperation of the local government unit, residents, and crocodile hunters of
Palawan in the
Philippines, along with the help of Kim Ramos, who happened to be a crocodile expert curious after hearing the story of Rowena Romano. Hunted over a period of three weeks, it took around 100 people to bring him onto land. He became aggressive at several points during the capture, and twice broke restraining ropes before eventually being properly secured. He was estimated to be at least 50 years old. Lolong was first suspected of eating a fisherman who went missing in the town of Bunawan, and also of consuming a 10-year-old girl whose headless body was discovered two years earlier. However, disagreement and speculation grew after Lolong's capture that an even larger alleged 24–29 ft (7.3–8.8 m) crocodile, nicknamed 'Potol', was responsible for the attacks. Lolong was also the primary suspect in the disappearance of water buffaloes in the known area. During the examination of the stomach contents after his capture, no human remains or remnants of water buffaloes reported missing before Lolong's capture were found. The nongovernmental organization activist Animal Kingdom Foundation Inc., with the cooperation of
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, had urged the local government of
Bunawan to return Lolong to the creek of
barangay Nueva Era, where the giant reptile was captured. However, in an ongoing debate, Bunawan mayor Edwin "Cox" Elorde and residents of the barangay opposed the crocodile's release, arguing that Lolong would threaten individuals living in the vicinity of the creek. ==Name==