Hunter’s heeding of dream telling him to change bait leads to capture of elusive reptilian killer
(Squatting, from right) Gobek, Jamil and Sujai pose for a photo with the captured crocodile together with several villagers. – Photo courtesy of Jamil Abong.
KUCHING: A crocodile suspected of being responsible for the death of a villager in Gedong, near Serian was hooked yesterday – all thanks to a dream in which a local croc hunter was told he had to switch the bait used from a chicken to a live monkey.
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.
The snaring of the reptile was made by Gobek Julaihi, 57, and his partner Sujai Yassin, 80, who are known in Gedong as croc hunters.
Speaking to thesundaypost, Gobek related how a dream three nights ago led to the successful capture.
“My partner Sujai told me that he had a dream, in which he was told that we had to change the bait because the responsible crocodile will not eat chicken meat.
“Sujai said the crocodile only wants monkey, and we are fortunate because searching for a live monkey in Gedong is not very difficult,” said the octogenarian.
Gobek went on to explain that he and Sujai will only hunt for crocodiles upon request from villagers.
“The family of Nazib Abang requested for our help. He was attacked by a crocodile and found dead.”
According to the croc hunters, they had set two chicken-baited hooks upon receiving a hunting permit from Sarawak Forestry Department.
“We used chicken as bait for five days but the crocodiles were not showing any interest.
“After Sujai’s dream three nights ago, we changed the bait and it only took two more nights before the crocodile went for it,” Gobek said.
Meanwhile, Jamil Abong, a teacher from Gedong, revealed that villagers heard loud splashes of water around 10pm the night before from the direction in the river where Nazib was attacked.
“We knew the crocodile had been hooked and we left it there for it to weaken before checking this morning (yesterday).
“The crocodile was making very loud noises and turning its body wildly trying to escape. The villagers had to shoot the reptile to overpower it before they could take it back to the village,” he said when contacted.
Jamil, who posted a photo on Facebook of himself and several friends together with Sujai and Gobek, said he believed the one caught yesterday was the smaller of two crocodiles often spotted along the river.
“The damage to Nazib’s boat indicated a very big crocodile had probably jumped into the boat and dragged him into the water.
“They said that the one caught today (yesterday) is the smaller one, meaning the bigger one is still at-large,” said Jamil.