New Straits Times 20 Oct 11;
KUCHING: The state's move to allow commercial trade in crocodiles has received the support of an international group.
The move to downgrade the reptile from Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora's (CITES), has the backing of the Crocodile Specialist Group.
Species that are threatened with extinction, and are, or may be, affected by trade are referred to as Appendix I of CITES. Commercial trade of species under this appendix caught in the wild is therefore illegal.
Crocodile Specialist Group's chairman Prof Dr Grahame Webb has supported the move to place the reptiles under Appendix II of the CITES.
Appendix II is for species that are not facing extinction but could face this predicament if the trading of the species is subject to strict regulation.
Webb believes that if Sarawak can come up with a management programme combined with economic benefits and ensure the survival of the reptiles, CITES would be in favour of its request.
"However, there is also Appendix IV which states that you have to continue to demonstrate that what you are doing is not detrimental to the survival of the species," Webb said at the sidelines of the International Crocodile Conference being held here.
Webb said CITES would definitely take into consideration the increase in human fatalities in Sarawak as a consequence of its (crocodile) conservation success.
He adds the obligation to monitor and ensure the survival of a species following downgrading was not an easy task.
Sarawak is taking the opportunity at the conference here to push its case to downgrade the crocodile to a less strict category.
Assistant Forestry Department director Engkamat Lading said the increase in crocodile population in the state for last 20 years justified the downgrading.
He said if the crocodile was listed in Appendix II, Sarawak would then be allowed to trade in the reptile like exporting live crocodiles and crocodile products.
He pointed out the average density of the state's crocodile population in 2005 was about eight per kilometre and the rivers with high density of the reptile were Sg Bako, Sg Sarawak, Btg Lupar, Sg Siblak, Btg Sardong and Sg Saribas.
"This shows we (Sarawak) have been successful in its crocodile conservation effort."
Ladind said if the reptile is not down graded, its increase in the rivers could lead to all economic activities in the waterways coming to a stand-still.
"Rivers with high density of crocodiles are also those where fatal attacks occur."
The Forestry Department reported a total of 97 (or 58 per cent) attacks from 1940 to 2009 occurred at Btg Lupar.
Attacks on Sg Sarawak was next highest at 13 per cent and Btg Saribas, nine per cent.
Between 2000 and 2009, the average number of attacks per year was 4.2 cases when compared with 1.7 cases between 1980 and 1989.
This year, four fatal cases have been recorded thus far.
Read more: Group all for trade in crocodiles http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/20croca/Article#ixzz1bH7rx7QW
