> Chito and His Pet Crocodile
>
> Rather than trying to tame wild stallions, fearless Costa Rican fisherman
> Chito prefers a playful wrestle in the water with his best pal Pocho - a
> deadly 17ft crocodile.
> The 52-year-old daredevil draws gasps of amazement from onlookers by wading
> chest-deep into the water, then whistling for his 980lb buddy - and giving
> him an affectionate hug.
> Crazy Chito says: "Pocho is my best friend. This is a very dangerous
> routine but we have a good relationship. He will look me in the eye and not
> attack me.
> "It is too dangerous for anyone else to come in the water. It is only ever
> the two of us."
> Chito made friends with the croc after finding him with a gunshot wound on
> the banks of the Central American state's Parismina river 20 years ago.
> He had been shot in the left eye by a cattle farmer and was close to death.
> But Chito enlisted the help of several pals to load the massive reptile
> into his boat.
> He says: "When I found Pocho in the river he was dying, so I brought him
> into my house.
> "He was very skinny, weighing only around 150lb I gave him chicken and fish
> and medicine for six months to help him recover. "I stayed by Pocho's side
> while he was ill, sleeping next to him at night. I just wanted him to feel
> that somebody loved him, that not all humans are bad.
> "It meant a lot of sacrifice. I had to be there every day. I love all
> animals - especially ones that have suffered."
> It took years before Chito felt that Pocho had bonded with him enough to
> get closer to the animal.
> He says: "After a decade I started to work with him. At first it was slow,
> slow. I played with him a bit, slowly doing more.
> "Then I found out that when I called his name he would come over to me."
> At one point during his recovery, Chito left the croc in a lake near his
> house. But as he turned to walk away, to his amazement Pocho got out of the
> water and began to follow him home.
> Chito recalls: "That convinced me the crocodile could be tame." But when he
> first fearlessly waded into the water with the giant reptile his family was
> so horrified they couldn't bear to watch. So instead, he took to splashing
> around with Pocho when they were asleep.
> Four years ago Chito showed some of his tricks to friends, including
> getting the animal to close his eyes on command, and they convinced him to
> go public with a show. Now he swims and plays with Pocho as well as feeding
> him at the lake near his home in the lowland tropical town of Sarapiqui.
> The odd couple have now become a major tourist attraction, with several
> tour operators, including Crocodile Adventures, taking visitors on touring
> cruises to see the pair.
> On the Crocodile Adventures website it describes the spectacle as: "One of
> the most amazing things that no cruise ship passenger will want to miss, the
> adventure show between the man and the crocodile."
> Clever croc ... Pocho answers to his name
> American crocodiles, which inhabit North, Central and South America, can
> live to around 70 years old. It is estimated that Pocho is around 50 -
> almost the same age as his owner.
> They are also said to be less aggressive than their Nile or Australian
> counterparts.
> Chito, whose real name is Gilberto Shedden, was given his nickname by
> friends, who also call him "Tarzan Tico" - Tico being a familiar word for a
> Costa Rican.
> And he certainly plays up to the name, wearing a tattered pair of
> leopard-print shorts for his half-hour performances with Pocho.
> A keen conservationist, he also offers boat tours, where he eagerly points
> out a variety of wildlife. But he only charges a few dollars to watch the
> breathtaking crocodile show, claiming he does not want to cash in on Pocho.
> He says: "He's my friend, I don't want to treat him like a slave or exploit
> him. I am happy because I rescued him and he is happy with me because he has
> everything he needs."

http://images.google.com/images?q=Pocho+chito

see also #54: True inspiring stories