Gables Crocs Elude Trappers Yet Again
CORAL GABLES (CBSMiami) – Days after a man and woman were attacked by a crocodile in a Gables by the Sea canal, the croc that may have been responsible still hasn't been captured.
Todd Hardwick who has been asked by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to remove crocodiles from the area said traps have not been successful as of yet.
At last word, Alejandro Jimenez, 26, of Doral, is in good condition at South Miami Hospital after being bitten in the hands and torso.
Lisset Rendon, 23, of Miami, was treated at the hospital and released after being bitten in the back and shoulder area, authorities said.
Monday evening trappers managed to hook one of the crocs, which they estimated to be about 11-feet in length, but it managed to get away.
The 11-foot-long crocodile has been nicknamed "Pancho" by residents in the neighborhood.
READ: Trappers Hunt Elusive Gables By The Sea Crocs
Some residents have tried blasting music in hopes of warning the crocodile and prevent a capture because they don't want the crocodiles removed from their habitat.
FWC has said residents should not interfere.
Hardwick has caught Pancho twice before and has relocated him to the Keys—34 miles away. Both times, the croc has made his way back to the canal and now Pancho knows the trapper's tricks.
Wednesday morning, the traps set using pig liver were ripped open, the bait eaten and the line cut.
Pancho isn't the only croc that lives in the area. Amateur video shows another crocodile brazenly swimming toward a dock while people stood on it.
Falk does not think Pancho is to blame for the bite—he believes the smaller croc is the culprit.
"They don't have any proof at all that Pancho was involved in that attack," Falk said.
But many other homeowners don't share the same sentiments toward Pancho or the other croc, and want the reptiles out.
"They should be relocated, even if they come back, as often as needed. There are people, there are small children, kids in this neighborhood."
It's not clear which crocodile was responsible for the attack.
The crocodiles are a protected species so they can only be relocated.
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