No Longer Safe, Crocodile Muara Owned by Residents of South Lampung for 28 Years Evacuated
Kalianda - South Lampung Regency Fire and Rescue Service (Damkarmat) officers evacuated a crocodile estuary that was kept by residents in Merak Batin Village, Natar District, because it was considered to have endangered safety.
Head of the Damkar Section of the South Lampung Damkarmat Office, Rully Fikriansyah, said the evacuation was carried out after his party received a report from residents regarding the pet crocodile whose size was getting bigger.
"Yes, it is true, Damkarmat officers from the Natar Post have evacuated a crocodile estuary that has been kept in a tank for 28 years in Tanjung Waras Village, Merak Batin Village, Natar District," said Rully in Kalianda, Antara, Sunday, December 28.
Rully explained that the evacuation process lasted about an hour and went smoothly. Damkarmat officers were directly assisted by residents who had been caring for the crocodile.
After being successfully evacuated, the estuarine crocodile was taken to the Damkar post to be handed over to the Lampung Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) to be returned to a habitat far from residential areas.
"Our report was received around 09.00 WIB. Officers departed for the location and arrived at 10.00 WIB. After preparing the equipment, the evacuation was successfully carried out around 11.00 WIB," said Rully.
According to Rully, the crocodile has been kept since 1998. When it was first kept, the crocodile was still small and was considered harmless.
However, over time, the size of the crocodile continued to grow, causing concern for the safety of the owner and residents around.
"The owner, Mr. Jarkasih, contacted the Damkarmat call center because he was worried that the crocodile could be dangerous and at risk of biting," said Rully.
South Lampung Damkarmat urges the public not to keep protected wildlife, especially if they have the potential to endanger safety, and immediately report to officers if they find similar conditions.