ALOR GAJAH: Two crocodile traps have been deployed in waters off Tanjung Bidara dan Kuala Linggi here in an effort to capture an estuarine crocodile that has been spotted in the area several times.
Tanjung Bidara assemblyman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the operation would be carried out over two months with the traps checked every three weeks.
He said the operation was launched after public concerns and complaints from owners of holiday spots on the Masjid Tanah coast, who had suffered losses after cancellations due to the reptile's presence.
"The state government received information on the crocodile sightings through viral social media videos from the public.
"We view this matter seriously as this is a popular tourist spot, especially during the school holidays and on the weekends," Ab Rauf said after launching the trapping operation here Monday (Feb 20).
Nearly 100 personnel from the Armed Forces, police, Fire and Rescue Department, MMEA and Perhilitan were involved in the search effort on Monday.
A video of an estuarine crocodile in waters off Pengkalan Balak had gone viral earlier.
Ab Rauf said that although there had been no reports of crocodile attacks, the operation was launched to prevent such an occurence.
Meanwhile, state Perhilitan director Mohd Firrdhaus Mahmood said, based on the viral video, the crocodile is estimated to be about 2m long and weigh roughly 200kg. It is also believed to have come from a habitat in Sungai Linggi.
He added that the crocodile would be moved to the Paya Indah Wetlands in Selangor if it was sucessfully caught.
Firrdhaus advised the public not to disturb the crocodile if they came across and to report it to the authorities immediately for further action. - Bernama
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