The reptile believed to have been terrorising Sungai Buri folk.
MIRI: Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) has removed a rogue crocodile from Sungai Buri in Marudi.
After two days, SFC’s Swift Wildlife Action Team (Swat) managed to capture a large male crocodile measuring 15.6ft (4.75m), believed to be the culprit which had been terrorising Sungai Buri folks.
According to a SFC press statement yesterday, villagers had earlier sought the help of the agency after spotting this giant reptile in the river a few times, adding that it had even begun to attack their livestock.
The rogue crocodile has since been transferred to Bernaya Crocodile Farm, a CITES- registered crocodile farm, in Kuala Baram. The crocodile population in Malaysia is listed in CITES Appendix I and protected by law in Sarawak.
The SFC is in the midst of establishing ‘Crocodile Free Zones’, where the presence of any crocodile will not be tolerated, such as in heavily populated areas and/or where there is high potential for human-crocodile conflict.
“However, we would still like to urge all villagers to exercise due care and to take necessary precautions when entering areas, including rivers and streams where they may encounter wild animals.
“They have to remember that these are the habitats of these creatures and we are the ‘aliens’ there,” SFC said.