127 Cases Of Crocodile-Human Conflict Occurred In Bangka Belitung, BKSDA Duga Imbas Environmental Damage

The photo-rovey archive is being contested in the Reclamation Village of PT Timah Tbk in Air Jangg Bangka. (ANTARA/HO-Finlan A. Aldan)

SUMSEL - A total of 127 cases of crocodile-human conflicts occurred in the Province of the Bangka Belitung Islands (Babel) handled by the Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) of South Sumatra (Sumsel).

South Sumatra BKSDA Intermediate Expert Polhut M Andriansyah said the crocodile-human conflict figures over the past five years.

"In the last five years, human and crocodile conflicts have increased," he said in Pangkalpinang, Monday, March 4, as reported by Antara.

He added that the crocodile-human conflict was the result of environmental damage due to illegal tin ore mining.

He said the crocodile-human conflict in the Province of the Bangka Belitung Islands reached 127 cases spread across East Belitung with 23 cases, Belitung 6 cases, West Bangka 10 cases, Central Bangka 17 cases, South Bangka 15 cases, Bangka 36 cases, and Pangkalpinang 20 cases.

"The conflict between crocodiles and humans has caused serious problems in many parts of the world, including the Bangka Belitung Islands," he said.

According to him, the dangers of animal and community conflict are very significant, humans can lose property to life. Meanwhile, on the animal side, many were killed, arrested, injured as a form of human revenge.

"At the beginning of this year, there have been several cases of crocodiles attacking residents looking for fish and mining lead under and a river that resulted in death, loss of its limbs," he said.

According to him, the reason the crocodile attacks humans is because it hunts for food, maintains territory, maintains its nest or cub and misidentity.

"Some of the attacks carried out by these crocodiles, because they felt cornered so that this crocodile attacked what was within the area of its attack," he said.