KOTA KINABALU: Another unusually large crocodile was encountered in Sabah’s east coast Lahad Datu district on Thursday (Dec 14) night.
The crocodile was found behind a villager’s house in Kampung Remang, and later shot dead by Wildlife Department rangers.
This was the second large reptile sighting in four days, the first one being in the Kampung Desa Bajau water village on Monday (Dec 11).
The crocodile tied up by the authorities.
But Thursday's beast, measuring some 4.8m (15.7ft) in length and about 1m (3.28ft) wide, was slightly larger than the earlier one which was 4.5m (14.7ft) from snout to tail.
However, authorities did not confirm the weight of the second specimen. Monday's catch tipped the scales at approximately 1.2 tonnes, authorities had said.
“This crocodile was almost the same size as the one in Kampung Desa Bajau,” Lahad Datu Wildlife Department officer Silvester Saimin said on Friday (Dec 15).
ALSO READ: QuickCheck: Was a crocodile weighing over a tonne captured under a Sabah home?
He said they rushed to the village after being alerted by villagers.
“Upon reaching the place, we found the crocodile behind a villager’s house.
“Eight shots were fired at it at 10.37pm,” he said, adding that all the shots hit the reptile.
It was a struggle to even fit the giant croc on the Wildlife Department’s vehicle.
The crocodile’s carcass was then brought to the department’s premises for disposal.
On Monday, the crocodile found underneath a home at the water village was also killed.
After it almost attacked a child, the animal was initially restrained by Civil Defence Force personnel who had to call in the rangers as it became too aggressive.
It, too, was killed after rangers shot it seven times.
