KOTA KINABALU – Sabah will start issuing hunting and breeding licences for crocodiles after the recent spate of attacks in the state.
This also comes after Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin raised concerns about the deaths of three people in his constituency this year.
Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said breeding permits will be for people who have the animals for commercial purposes, and that the authorities will cull or catch crocodiles that come into conflict with humans.
Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said licences were previously issued to crocodile farms for hunting and breeding purposes.
Based on a non-detrimental study in Sabah, the present population is “optimal”, and there were 2,886 crocodiles in the state’s 10 main rivers between 2007 and 2020.
The rivers are Sg Kinabatangan, Sg Segama, Sg Silabukan, Sg Klias, Sg Padas, Sg Bengkoka, Sg Paitan, Sg Kalumpang, Sg Labuk, and Sg Serudong.
Sg Kinabatangan had the biggest crocodile population with 1,368 animals.
Currently, crocodiles are protected under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, and no one is allowed to hunt and kill them unless they pose a danger to the people.
Recently, Bung Moktar proposed that the state issue permits for the limited hunting of crocodiles.
This followed the latest death of a 32-year-old woman after being attacked by a crocodile while fishing with her family off Tg Bulat Sinar near Kota Kinabatangan on July 30. – The Vibes, August 10, 2022
