Sabah needs hunting policy to keep crocodile population in check, says Bung Moktar

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah needs to issue permits for controlled hunting of crocodiles to address the reptile's large population in the state, says Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (pic).

He said there had been many deaths caused by crocodiles in the state including in the Kinabatangan area over the years.

“The government must take steps to create a rule or legislation on the culling and commercial harvesting of crocodiles, similar to what has been carried out in Sarawak.

“Such a policy will help address the population of crocodiles in Sabah rivers, particularly in Kinabatangan, as well as to minimise human-crocodile conflicts.

“Allowing the capture and culling of crocodiles in a periodic and systematic way can control the number of the reptiles in Sabah,” he said on Wednesday (Aug 3).

ALSO READ: Woman attacked by crocodile in Kinabatangan found dead

Bung Moktar made the call following the latest death involving a woman who was attacked by a crocodile in the Kinabatangan district on Saturday (July 30).

Norsila Sayong, 32, was fishing with her family when a huge crocodile snatched her from the riverbank at Tg Bulat Sinar Jaya, Kota Kinabatangan at around 3pm.

Her remains were found by villagers the next morning, some 800m from where she was last seen alive.

ALSO READ: Grandmother killed in crocodile attack in Sabah

Bung Moktar, who is Kinabatangan MP and Lamag assemblyman, said it was not the first time such an attack occurred in his constituencies.

“I hope a study can be conducted by the authorities in Sabah on the issue and follow-up action can be taken to reduce the crocodile population in the state for the safety of riverine communities,” he added.

Bung Moktar also hoped that Malaysia’s success in downlisting the category of crocodiles from Appendix I to Appendix II at the Convention of International Trade of in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Conference of Parties in South Africa in 2016 would help pave the way for the commercial hunting of crocodiles in Sabah.

ALSO READ: Allow local community to harvest crocodiles for skin, meat, says Wan Junaidi

Sarawak started allowing crocodile hunting in 2017, with the state Forest Department issuing a host of licences to private individual applicants to hunt and sell crocodile meat locally.

There have also been applications for licences under CITES to export crocodile meat, skin or hatchlings.

However, the hunting and culling of crocodiles are only allowed when they are believed to be a safety risk to the public.

The Sarawak Forestry Corporation has since taken over the role of controller of wildlife from the Forest Department in 2019.

In Sabah, crocodiles are a protected species under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 and the authorities do not allow anyone to hunt and kill the reptiles unless they pose a danger to the people.

Meanwhile, Bung Moktar also urged the Sabah Wildlife Department to take proactive measures to capture problematic crocodiles in the Kinabatangan river.

“This must be done immediately for the safety of residents there who depend on the river as a source of income as well as food.

“We want the authorities to take action to handle the issue to ensure residents do not feel threatened whether they are using the river to travel or to source for income,” he said.

At the same time, he advised the people to be extra careful when carrying out their daily activities at the river in order to avoid any untoward incident.