‘Hunting, killing of crocs allowed in 10 rivers’

theborneopost.com/2016/10/14
Cecilia Sman, reporters@theborneopost.com

MIRI: The people are allowed to systematically hunt, kill and trade, including for export, of crocodiles which are found plentiful in 10 rivers in Sarawak. The rivers are Batang Sadong, Sungai Tuang, Batang Kerian, Sungai Seblak, Sungai Linga, Sungai Sebuyau, Batang Lupar, Batang Saribas, Batang Baram and Sungai Bakong. Forest Department director Sapuan Ahmad said that surveys conducted from 2012 to 2014 showed that these rivers had eight to 14 crocodiles for every kilometre with Batang Lupar having the most. He said the 10 rivers were among 45 rivers with a total length of 2,108.38km where an estimated 12,000 individual crocodiles or 5.57 individuals per km live. “The 10 rivers are where most of the crocodile attacks on human were reported over the years.”
“The quota and permits on hunting, killing and selling of crocodiles have yet to be finalised and agreed by the relevant state agencies and ministries including Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment,” he told a press conference here yesterday after having a dialogue session with swiftlets dealers and the relevant agencies. His deputy Engkamat Lading who is also deputy controller of Wildlife Sarawak and Mohammad Kohdi a research officer at the Forest Department were also present. Sapuan said among other matters to be finalised besides quota were the need to report to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Wild Fauna and Flora, and to need to identify potential buyers, adding Sarawak had to export crocodiles as most locals had a taboo for the reptiles and won’t eat them.
“As for the permit, the locals will be given priority. “We hope that by next year the issue could be finalised. Crocodile meat can fetch up to RM38 per kg while the skin is even costlier,” he said He added that crocodile were very productive; one could produce 800 eggs for each brood while the survival rate was also very high, and they could live up to 100 years. Crocodile is the only ancient animal species, the living relics of the dinosaurs, that still exists in Sarawak. The systematic and authorised hunting, selling and killing of crocodiles could be legalised after the status of crocodiles in Sarawak had been downlisted from Appendix 1 to Appendix II in the CITES.
The Forest Department has conducted culling of crocodiles in 12 rivers namely in Sungai Sarawak, Batang Samarahan, Sungai Sebuyau, Batang Sadong, Batang Saribas, Batang Lupar, Sungai Lingga, Sungai Seblak, Batang Belawai, Sungai Niah, Sungai Bakong and Sungai Bako in order to reduce conflict involving territory and food. Crocodiles in Sarawak are protected under the Wildlife Protection Ordinance and under the international provisions of CITES. Hunting and culling of the fierce predators are allowed when they are believed to threaten the peace and property, in respect to the regulations under Section 41, 42 and 42A of WPO 1998. However, Sapuan said the offenders or families of victims must immediately report to the Forest Deparment if they had killed the reptiles.