BKSDA-Damkar Cilacap Evacuation Of A Resident's Capture Crocodile

Central Java BKSDA Officers The Cilacap Region Conservation Resort together with the Cilacap Regency Fire Department Unit evacuated an estuarine/ANTARA crocodile calf

CILACAP - The Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) of the Cilacap Region Conservation Resort with the Fire Department (Damkar) Cilacap Regency, Central Java, evacuated a crocodile calf that was caught by residents of Brebeg Village. "The crocodile cub, which is about one meter long, was caught in a net installed by Pak Suratman around the Kalisarah River, Sumur Bandung Hamlet, Brebeg Village, Jeruklegi District, last night," said Head of the Cilacap Regional Conservation Resort Wahyono in Cilacap, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, June 13. He explained that the installation of the net was because residents were disturbed by the appearance of the estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) in the last two months. After being caught in a net, the crocodile calf was then taken to Suratman's house and then reported to the related party. "Today we evacuated the crocodile calf to the office for observation. Then we will report it to the leadership for follow-up, whether it will be entrusted to captivity or to a conservation institution," he said. In addition to evacuating the crocodile calf, he said, his party together with the Cilacap Damkar, Jeruklegi Police, and the village head of Brebeg socialized to local residents regarding estuarine crocodiles as one of the protected animals by law. According to him, socialization is important considering that the crocodiles that were caught were still young so that they did not rule out the possibility of having a mother. "In fact, based on information, local residents saw more than one crocodile. So there is a possibility that there was a parent of the crocodile calf that was caught, but so far there has been no solid documentation regarding this matter," he said. He admitted that in the Segara Anakan area, which is the estuary of the Kalisarah River, crocodiles were seen several times. However, his party has not been able to confirm whether the crocodile that appeared in Segara Anakan is related to a crocodile calf entangled in a net in Brebeg Village.

"We have not received documentation regarding this," said Wahyono.