He decided to name his friend Pocho, which means «handsome, strong guy».
Sometimes very dangerous predators become devoted friends of people.
The story of Costa Rican Gilberto will remain in memory for a long time as one of the most incredible examples of such a devoted friendship.
It all started in 1980 when a man returned home from fishing and suddenly noticed a crocodile in the river.
Gilberto saw that the beast was wounded. He decided to take the wounded crocodile home, and after his death, it was good to make money on the skin of the beast.
He did not need much effort to tow the huge reptile home along the river, where with the help of several neighbors the animal was transferred to the barn.
He every day went into the barn several times and found the crocodile very weak, but alive.
Gilberto fed the crocodile every day and he gradually strongly. He decided to name his unusual friend, which means «beautiful, strong guy».
When the local authorities learned about the dangerous animal in Chito’s barn, which is prohibited by law, he had to hide the crocodile in secluded places along the river.
The villagers did not understand him and considered him abnormal, and even his wife left him, without sharing his love for a dangerous beast.
So almost three years passed and, finally, making sure that his new friend is healthy and full of strength, Chito released the animal into the river, sad after parting.
But what was his surprise when the next morning the crocodile was lying on the veranda of Chito? And they never parted again, strong friendship connected a crocodile and a person for twenty years, and history no longer knows such a unique case.
In 2011, Pocho died of old age at the age of 55. Chito worried about the loss of his faithful friend, realizing that such a friendship is extremely rare, but he is grateful to the fate of his amazing friend, who managed to understand, appreciate and thank him for his help and good heart.
