Real World Monster

[Tonguez]

Ya know 16 ft isn't that big (of course I personally wouldn't want to be swimming with it) 15 ft is the average for the Salt Water Croc and they can grow to 20+ ft and weigh over 2000 lbs!

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I wonder why they took 20 years before they bothered to capture it.

Tourism.

The Auld Grump

 

[jodyjohnson]

I wonder if this was the croc that was the subject of a PBS documentary called "Capturing the Killer Croc". I remember the head shot of that croc showed an animal that was literally prehistoric, almost a dire croc if there would be such a thing. He lived in a river though and ruled it ruthlessly. All other crocs went someplace else when this guy went cruising through the neighborhood. His hide showed all manner of scars and they even said something about it being so tough that machine guns couldn't penetrate it. Cool show.

Possible but there are some discrepancies (16ft vs. 9 meters, 80 people vs. 200, 60 years old vs. 100 years old, unnamed vs. "Gustav", Lake Victoria vs. Lake Tanganyika)

Recently in Africa over 200 people near Lake Tanganyika have disappeared. Initially thought to be the result of tribal warfare, or the work of a serial killer, the disappearances are now being attributed to a giant crocodile estimated to be 9 meters long and nearly a century old. The program follows the efforts to apprehend this giant predator before he kills again, and remove it to a secure enclosure in the Rusizi Nature Reserve.

http://teacher.shop.pbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=1796976

National Geographic blames him for 300.

 

[Narfellus]

So, if machine gun fire couldn't penetrate the hide, what kind of DR do you think the thing had? i'm guessing DR 10, and it would apply per bullet. You would need explosives (or fireballs) to take down something like that, or shoot sedative darts (or exploding grendades) into his mouth.

 

[Daedrova]

And yet you've killed many spiders and flies etc in your life (probably a lot more than 83, i doubt you'd be pleased if they killed you for it).
...
EDIT: And as much as we hate to admit it, humans are animals too.

This can go into the category of "sayings that never quite became words of wisdom."

Scientifically, yes, homo-sapiens are grouped within the Animal family. But as sensible as "humans are animals too" may seem (to you), the distinction becomes clear when you say this in the reverse (or correct) order: "Animals are people too” … an assertion that is simply ridiculous.
You are attempting to, even if unintentionally, demoralize and devalue humanity with such a line of thought.
I any event, we should not begin to loose respect and value for all Life.
What should be considered are things such as: What is to be gained or lost (philosophically/morally/scientifically) by killing this creature? And what of letting this creature live?

 

[Ghostwind]

Possible but there are some discrepancies (16ft vs. 9 meters, 80 people vs. 200, 60 years old vs. 100 years old, unnamed vs. "Gustav", Lake Victoria vs. Lake Tanganyika)



http://teacher.shop.pbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=1796976

National Geographic blames him for 300.

That's the one. Gustav is certainly a piece to behold. You can see where they strafed him with machine guns on his hide to no avail.

 

[Mystery Man]

Can you find the dumbass in this picture?

Hint: He's not in the truck on the other side of the freaking wall!!

 

[Darthjaye]

I think what scares me most about this line is that some of the posters are more than eager to off an animal for feeding but less than willing to pipe up and say "yeah that BTK guy needs to have his head cut off quick now". Interesting how the morality thing slips away when we start talking about animals but jumps right back to the forefront when a human does something vile and heinous. Unless your a family member who lost someone to this creature or actually witnessed it in action, maybe you should stick to the awe part of this creatures size and leave the judgement calls to people more qualified to do so.
Also, as was pointed out, it took the human element nearly two decades to do something about it. Who would you want to shoot in this situation if it could have prevented you from loosing a family member say 10 years ago?

 

[jodyjohnson]

What should be considered are things such as: What is to be gained or lost by killing this creature? And what of letting this creature live?

Depends on whether the DM awards XP only for killing or also includes rewards for non-lethal resolution of challenges.

If you want the big XP you're the guy standing on his head.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

EDIT: And as much as we hate to admit it, humans are animals too.

Nope. Definetly not. Animals will never reach the heights (or lows) of human cruelty, violence, and, above all, stupidity of some humans. For the last part, I recommend reading the darvin awards.