The 50 year old “Poncho” the Crocodile was tame and performed tricks and stunts for passersby, directed by fisherman Gilberto Shedden until he passed away on Tuesday.
Costa Rican fisherman Gilberto Shedden, known as “Chito” lost his best friend this week: a 980 pound crocodile, almost 16 feet long.
The fisherman and the crocodile had a 20 year history that started when “Chito” found the reptile on death’s door, by a river in the Costa Rican Caribbean.
Shedden took care of the crocodile and trained him to do tricks like shake hands, close one eye and roll over.
Neighbors and friends have prepared a funeral for the Pocho, the only documented domesticated crocodile in the world.
