KOTA KINABALU – A 14.5-foot crocodile captured by island villagers near here is now at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park until a suitable habitat is found, said the Sabah Wildlife Department today.
Villagers in Kg Lohong, Pulau Gaya captured the reptile around 5.30pm yesterday after it was found at their water village.
The crocodile was handed over to the Civil Defence Department and later passed to the Wildlife Department last night.
State Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said the bull estuarine crocodile measures 14.5 feet or 4.41 metres and weighs around 250kg.
It is the second biggest crocodile ever caught, with the first one being a 16-foot-long reptile caught by wildlife personnel in 1990 in Sg Sabahan, Lahad Datu, he said.
“Anyway, it is common for lone crocodiles like this. They are territorial and will protect their space.”
A video of the crocodile at sea and later captured by island residents went viral yesterday.
The last official estimation of the crocodile population in Sabah stood around 15,000 in a survey done between 2017 and 2020.
This suggests the number of crocodiles in Sabah has increased 10-fold compared to the results of a survey done in 1984.
For many river-dwelling Sabah communities, crocodiles are associated with myths and legends.
The state is in the midst of waiting for a final report on the crocodile population to formulate a plan to control their numbers.
The state Wildlife Department also needs to wait for the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna to conduct a population control.
Unlawful killing of crocodiles in Sabah is punishable by a three-year jail sentence and a fine of up to RM100,000. – The Vibes, June 13, 2021
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