Malaysia: Crocodile cull questioned

Nature group: What’s the basis for killing crocodiles?
Vanes Devindran The Star 20 Jul 11;

KUCHING: A current operation to hunt and kill about 60 crocodiles at Sungai Seblak in Kabong, Saratok, has raised eyebrows among nature groups.

The Malaysian Nature Society believed there must be a strong reason for an operation as serious as this, and nature and crocodile experts should have been consulted earlier.

Its past president Anthony Sebastian questioned whether the authorities involved had studied the effects that such actions would have on the environment and the habitat of the crocodiles.

“They say they are going for about 60 crocodiles that are 2.5m long, but what is the basis for this? Are they going for the male or female crocodiles? What is that river’s crocodile population? Do they know?

“I think they are doing it just to appease public sentiment. People are understandably upset if a loved one is attacked by a crocodile, but it’s like a road accident, you can’t remove all the vehicles from the road just because there have been many accidents,” he told The Star yesterday.

Anthony was disappointed with the response from the authorities and believed the operation was not based on science or logical thinking.

He said that recent newspaper reports had stated that Sarawak Forestry Corporation was still mulling a reduction of Sarawak’s crocodile population.

“They said they would not cull crocodiles for now, but then we have this big operation going on,” he said.

A thorough discussion involving all parties including crocodile experts must take place before such an operation, he added.

The operation which started at 8am on Monday will go on until Friday.

The Saratok district police have confirmed that they had received a permit from the Sarawak Forestry Department to hunt down the crocodiles, which are protected under the Sarawak Wildlife Ordinance.

Under the law, those caught hunting, killing, eating and trading in crocodiles are liable to a RM10,000 fine or one year in jail.

Riverine folk welcome croc-culling operations
New Straits Times 20 Jul 11;

BETONG: The residents of Kampung Emplam near here are waiting for the five-day Ops Buaya at the crocodile-infested Sungai Seblak, which began two days ago, to be over.

The river, a source of income for the villagers, has become a bane to them of late because the crocodile population along the river has multiplied.

"This is a fishing village. Almost all of the people here rely on this river to earn a living. Besides the fish, there are prawns, squids and crabs.

"But because of the crocodiles, we are afraid to go near the river," fisherman Sony Jahiri said yesterday.

The operation, to hunt and kill the crocodiles, is a collaborative effort between the Sarawak Forestry Department, the Fire and Rescue Department, Rela and the army. It ends this Friday.

Sony said Sungai Seblak was known for its crocodiles, but of late, the crocodiles had grown in number.

"In the past, the crocodiles did not bother us. We used to swim in the river. But, now, they (the crocodiles) are different. They have started attacking us.

"My cousin's cows were attacked by the crocodiles when he took them to the river. Thank God, the authorities are carrying out this operation."

In May, a fisherman died after his left arm was severed by a crocodile while he was out fishing.

Saratok district police chief Lee Chai Lein said the culling was done at the request of the Village Development and Security Committee of Kampung Emplam.