To sit back hoping that someday, some way, someone will make things right is to go on feeding crocodile, hoping he will eat you last — but eat you he will.
— Ronald Reagan, 40th US President (1911-2004)
Sarawak is famous not only for its hornbills, orang utans but many other things including saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus).
Recently, a video clip of the capture of two crocodiles went viral on social media. One of the crocodiles was about 13 feet long while the other was about 15 feet long.
They were shot by residents at the ferry point in Igan, a village situated near the mouth of Igan River, and a subdistrict for Matu in Mukah Division in Sarawak.
The two reptiles were tied up and handed over to the authorities for further action.
Meanwhile, another 20-foot long crocodile managed to escape during the shooting.
Rahmat, a ferry user, was quoted as saying that crocodiles were often seen near the ferry point which was used by the locals to go to another town, Matu, or Mukah.
The crocodile sightings often make the people, especially fishermen, worried because they depend on the Igan River for their livelihood.
The people’s fear of the saltwater crocodiles is understandable. Do you know that these reptiles are the largest crocodile species in the word and the largest living reptile in the world?
Do you also know that male saltwater crocodiles as long as 23 feet have been recorded in the world while females can grow to about 10 feet long?
Oceana inc, a nonprofit ocean conservation organisation, also shares that adult saltwater crocodiles have 66 teeth on average and the greatest bite pressure of any animal in the world.
It adds that these reptiles are opportunistic feeders that prey on a variety of species, from crabs and fish to birds, turtles, pigs, buffalo and even humans.
Commonly found in coastal waters or rivers where they can swim between freshwater and brackish water, saltwater crocodiles can also live more than 70 years.
Conservation organisations must be pleased to know, from the viral capture of the two crocodiles in Igan recently, that saltwater crocodiles are thriving in the rivers of Sarawak.
But the news is certainly making more local villagers, especially the fishermen, fearful.
Many are definitely happy that there are now two less crocodiles in the Igan River.
Exactly, how big is the saltwater crocodile population in the Igan River? How do they get to grow so big without being noticed and caught? Now, with the capture of the two huge crocodiles recently and more still out in the wild, it is certainly not safe for children or anyone to swim or play in the river anymore.
I wonder what happened to the two crocodiles after they were shot and handed over to the authorities for further action. Were they still alive after being shot and where are they now?
The Sarawak Forestry Corporation had, in the past, reminded the public that crocodiles were protected species and it was an offence to kill them.
Now, I wonder if any actions were taken against the people who shot the two crocodiles in Sg Igan. And who were these people? Are they licensed to carry firearms and to kill the protected reptiles?
In November 2020, the corporation’s swift wildlife action team (Swat) in Miri was despatched to Limbang after being told of a crocodile sighting in a drain behind a school there. It arrived to find that a member of the public had shot it in the head.
Subsequently, chief executive officer of the corporation Zolkipli Mohamad Aton reminded the public that it was an offence to kill crocodiles under the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998.
He urged the public to notify the nearest SFC office or contact its hotlines in various regions.
Crocodile attacks on humans are common in the state. Sometimes, the bodies of the victims are found. Sometimes, they are never found.
Lately, there have also been crocodile sightings at Sg Tellian, Mukah.
In Dec 2020, a group of 13 men in Muara Tuang, who had the necessary skills and experience in hunting crocodiles, hit the headlines in Sarawak when they introduced themselves as the Samarahan Crocodile Hunters.
The team was formed on Dec 19 that year to put an end to the frequent crocodile attacks on humans in Samarahan and their patron was none other than Muara Tuang assemblyman Datuk Idris Buang.
The team is equipped with special tools and equipment, and two boats to help the authorities when there is a need to go hunting in the river. Of the 13 members, four are licensed to carry firearms to catch or cull crocodiles. Appointed as advisor of the Samarahan Crocodile Hunters is the Kota Samarahan police chief.
There is no news of the Samarahan Crocodile Hunters currently. Maybe no news is good news. I guess we have not been hearing much about them because the crocodiles are behaving well in Samarahan.
“Air tenang jangan disangka tak ada buaya” is a popular Malay proverb in Malaysia.
Although the proverb actually advises you not to assume quiet and more reserved people are scared or stupid, its direct translation in English is literally, ‘Don’t assume that still water holds no crocodiles’.
Yes, if you are in Sarawak, even if there’s nothing splashing around in the water doesn’t mean there are no crocodiles around. Be on your guard. Remember, many Sarawak rivers are home to the mighty and powerful saltwater crocodiles.
