Tarzan Tico - Chito and Pocho

In Costa Rica one of the attractions that keeps tourists coming back is the Crocodile Whisperer Chito and his pet Crocodile Pocho that is 5 meters long.  They play in the water together as tourists gather around to watch.  Pocho is a full grown 17ft man eating crocodile and weighs 980 lbs.

Onlookers stare in amazement as Chito play wrestles and wades chest deep with his buddy Pocho. Chito say that Pocho is his best friend and though he knows that this is a very dangerous routine when he looks Pocho in the eyes he knows that he won’t attack.  It is too dangerous for anyone else to get in the water so it always only Chito and Pocho in the water.

Chito adopted Pocho after finding him with a gunshot wound on the banks of the River Parismina 20 years ago. He had been shot in the left eye by a cattle farmer and was close to death. Chito loaded the massive reptile into his boat with the help of several friends.

He was dieing and very skinny, weighing only 150lb Chito fed him chicken and fish and medicine for six months to help him heal. Chito slept next to Pocho every night while he was ill, he wanted him to feel loved and let him know that not all humans are bad.  It took years before Chito felt that Pocho had bonded with him enough to get closer to him.

After 10 years of caring for him Chito began to work with the animal. It was a slow process over time playing a bit at first until one day Chito called his name and he came to him. At one point Chito left Pocho in a lake near his house and as he turned to walk away, to his amazement Pocho got out of the water and began to follow him home.

Chito was now convinced that the crocodile could be tame and fearlessly began wading in the water with the giant reptile but his family was so worried that Pocho would at some point attack that Chito began splashing around with Pocho when the rest of the family was asleep.

Four years ago Chito showed some of his tricks to friends, including getting Pocho to close his eyes on command, and they convinced him to go public with a show.  Chito now swims and plays with Pocho as well as feeds him at the lake near his home in the town of Sarapiqui.

Chit and Pocho are a major tourist attraction, with several tour operators, taking visitors on touring cruises to see the pair.  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.

The next time you are in Costa Rica and decide to check out the attractions make sure to make time to see Chito and Pocho it’s one show you don’t want to miss.  Costa Rica is a beautiful country with wonderful places to visit.  Whether you are planning to just visit or eventually move to Costa Rica and take advantage of all the wonderful business opportunities available, it’s nice to know that you will have plenty to do while you decide.

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Omar Pinto
omar@offshoresavingsolutions.com
Offshore Saving Solutions
310-928-3765