Gobek (left) and Sujai (fourth left) in a photo together with the 14-feet-long and eight-feet-in-diameter giant crocodile that was caught in Gedong this morning.
KUCHING: A giant crocodile measuring about 14-feet-long and eight-feet-in-diameter was caught in Gedong at around 6.30am this morning.
Gedong crocodile hunter, Gobek Julaihi, when contacted, told The Borneo Post that the villagers were living in fear since the sighting of three crocodiles in the nearby river recently.
“We started fishing for them two days ago and managed to catch a big one early this morning,” Gobek explained.
This was the second crocodile caught by Gobek and his partner Sujai Yassin, 70, who are known in Gedong as ‘crocodile hunters’.
The first crocodile, which was suspected of being responsible for the death of a villager in Gedong, near Serian was hooked on Dec 30, last year.
The captured reptile, measuring over 13 feet, is believed to be the smaller of two crocodiles which attacked and killed fisherman Nazib Abang on Oct 24 this year at Sungai Gedong.
His body was recovered a few days later with injuries indicating he was a victim of a crocodile attack.
Although the bigger reptile was finally caught today, Gobek said they will to continue to hunt because there are still many of the reptiles ‘playing’ in the village waters now.
“They are playing in the river, right in the middle of our village causing great concern among the villagers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gedong PBB Youth chief, Jamil Abong said the initiative to catch the crocodiles was financed by Gedong assemblyman Datuk Naroden Majais.
“The villagers are living in fear as the giant crocodiles are not only swimming in the nearby the river but play right under villagers’ house,” he explained.
He said the villagers had appealed to the Assistant Minister of E-commerce and Assistant Minister of Entrepreneur and Small, Medium Enterprise (SME) Development for help as Gedong river is teeming with crocodiles.
“The minister borne the expenses of this operation, he bought the hooks, pay for the crocodile hunters token and is following closely this issue because it concern the people safety,” Jamil added.
Jamil said the hunt will continue because at least three big crocodiles were sighted in Gedong village recently.
“Now that one of them caught, we hope the other two will be hooked later,” he said.