SFC, Sains Develop CrocWatch App To Address Human-crocodile Conflict

KUCHING, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- The Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), in collaboration with Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (SAINS), a government-owned ICT service provider, has developed the Sarawak CrocWatch application to address human-crocodile conflict.

Sarawak Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development II Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, stated that the app, launched last month, allows the public to report crocodile sightings.

Awang Tengah, who is also Deputy Premier of Sarawak, said that SFC is working on a more comprehensive crocodile management plan through a strategic partnership by signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Wildlife Management International Pty Ltd (WMI) in Darwin, Australia.

“WMI will assist in drafting the crocodile management plan and provide training to SFC officers to enhance crocodile management in Sarawak.

“The preparation of this plan will take a year. The preliminary report will be submitted next month to provide an overview of the necessary steps to be taken,” he said in his winding-up speech at the state assembly sitting today.

Awang Tengah said that, to date, there are approximately 25,000 crocodiles in 22 river basins in Sarawak, with 55 hunting licenses issued and 234 warning signs installed in high-risk areas across the state.

“From January to October, SFC has carried out 40 monitoring operations, resulting in the successful relocation of 35 crocodiles from areas near human settlements to more suitable locations,” he added.

-- BERNAMA