Giant crocodile Lolong leads Yahoo's 'Top Viral Photos of 2011'

Lolong's photo, this year's top viral photo | Courtesy of Yahoo!

A photo of Lolong, the giant crocodile captured alive in the Philippines and the new record holder for "world's largest crocodile in captivity", is the number 1 viral photo of 2011, according to Yahoo!. The picture which shows Mayor Cox Elorde of Bunawan, Agusan del Sur measuring the large croc using his arms topped Yahoo's list of "Top Viral Photos for 2011" which is part of the search engine's annual Year In Review.

"With millions of images being shared on the Internet every day, it takes a certain measure of magic to become a viral hit. We always keep one finger on the Web pulse, so now we bring you 10 photos that online users could not help but circulate this year, from a shuttle launch to a giant crocodile and a presidential gaffe. A couple of these photos even spawned their own memes, the highest honor in 2011 viral visuals." Yahoo! wrote.

The rest of the photos in the list include the following: a one-eyed albino shark, a kissing couple during a Vancouver riot, Atlantis shuttle launch, a bride searching for her groom after a 5.9 magnitude earthquake in Virginia, a frozen lake in Canada, Occupy UC Davis protesters pepper-sprayed, lightning striking the Eiffel Tower, President Obama waving and whale nearly swallowing a diver.