Gustave (crocodile)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gustave is a six-meter-long, one-ton^[1] crocodile residing on a river-island near Lake Tanganyika in Burundi, Africa. The animal was named by Patrice Faye, a French resident of Burundi and animal enthusiast. Gustave is one of the largest crocodiles known to man and is still alive in the wild, and rumored to feed by claiming sight-seers along the delta of the Ruzizi River and the beaches of the Bujumbura.

1 Legend
2 Film
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Legend

Size and weight aside, the myth surrounding Gustave is fueled by rumors that he has killed over three hundred bathers and travelers en route through the Ruzizi River, although only 110 victims have been confirmed^{[citation needed]}, including a German woman swimming the Ruzizi River^[2]. Numerous knife scars, bullet wounds, cigarette burns, and broken arrows mark his body, as well as the traces of fights with other large animals.^[2] He has also killed an adult hippo.

Capture attempts have been made, including using a massive cage in 2002. It was built in an attempt to lure and then capture the beast, but not a single crocodile was caught during its use. Several ensnaring traps were built and used as well, but still the large crocodile evaded capture, though the team was quite sure of his location due to their frequent sightings of him sunning. Mere days before the team would have to leave the country, the cage trap was found ruined after a storm, and the infrared camera they used for surveillance had been damaged by the storm. Paul Dumais feared that the cage might have finally lured their quarry in, only to have the storm collapse its support on the river bottom, leaving Gustave to go free. According to the National Geographic site (linked below) the most recent sighting was in October of 2006.

[edit] Film

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Gustave is the basis of the film Primeval (originally titled Gustave), which follows a news team sent to Burundi to capture Gustave, however, while doing so they become the target of a warlord in the midst of an African civil war.