KUALA NERUS – The Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) finally caught the elusive saltwater crocodile – named Mamat by local residents – at an abandoned mine here today.
Terengganu Perhilitan chief Abdul Malek Mohd Yusuf in a statement today said the 3.9m-long crocodile was caught at 5.45pm, in one of the traps set up by the department.
“Mamat will be transported to the Paya Indah Wetlands in Dengkil, Selangor, tonight.”
To capture the crocodile, Malek said a 17-member Perhilitan team had installed three traps at the mine since last May, but had not met with any success, until today.
The story of Mamat, who is said to have lost its way and ended up in the mine, is not new for Terengganu folk, but it went viral in 2016.
Local residents often feed the reptile, which was only about 1m-long when it was first spotted.
Mamat appeared to be not aggressive, prompting many to go to the mine to have a closer look at it. – Bernama, June 28, 2021
