Sabah JHL To Strengthen Crocodile Management In High-Risk Areas Under 13MP

By Noorazlina Jindeh

KOTA KINABALU, Oct Oct (Bernama) -- Under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), the Sabah Wildlife Department (JHL) will focus on consultation, training, and providing suitable equipment for crocodile management in densely populated and high-risk areas.

Its director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar said the department has also authorised enforcement agencies holding firearms licences to carry out crocodile population control in selected locations, based on the assessed needs and threat levels in each district.

He said in addition to issuing hunting licences, the Sabah JHL would roll out other initiatives, such as public awareness campaigns on safety measures and ways to prevent crocodile attacks.

“We will also provide training for local communities in high-risk areas to implement crocodile mitigation measures, with a focus on effective monitoring, including proper monitoring methods.

“We always take note of the community’s concerns about the frequency of crocodile sightings in populated areas,” he told Bernama, adding that the measures outlined by the department would help reduce conflicts between humans and wildlife.

Mohd Soffian said that although the Sabah JHL issues crocodile hunting licences throughout the year, the total number of commercial licences is limited to just 25 annually.

“This step is in line with JHL’s efforts to ensure that (crocodile) hunting and farming are conducted in a controlled manner, based on the principles of conservation and sustainable wildlife management in Sabah,” he said.

He added that public response to commercial crocodile hunting licences remains low, as domestic demand for crocodile products is not encouraging.

Mohd Soffian explained that crocodile hunting is allowed in Sabah under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, and since then, Sabah JHL has implemented strict controls on the issuance of hunting licences and crocodile farming permits.

He said the strict control measures were introduced because the saltwater crocodile was still listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Under CITES, international trade of crocodiles is not permitted, except for crocodiles sourced from farms registered with the CITES Secretariat.

Meanwhile, Mohd Soffian said that research carried out between 2020 and 2023 for non-detrimental findings (NDF) estimated Sabah’s crocodile population at only around 2,500.

He said the study covered 10 major rivers in Sabah, namely Sungai Kinabatangan and Sungai Paitan   in Sandakan; Sungai Padas and Sungai Klias in Beaufort; Sungai Silabukan and Sungai Segama in Lahad Datu; Sungai Bengkoka in Pitas; Sungai Labuk in Beluran; Sungai Serudong in Tawau; and Sungai Kalumpang in Semporna.

He added that Sabah JHL had recorded 11 deaths and two injuries from crocodile attacks on humans in the state this year.

On July 15, a man died, believed to be the victim of a crocodile attack in Sungai Taman Kenari, Sandakan.

The location was identified as high-risk due to several previous crocodile attacks, including an incident in September 2022, when only a man’s head was recovered after he was reportedly attacked by a crocodile.

--BERNAMA