Officers Arrest 3 Crocodiles Who Released From Cianjur Captivity Because Of Broken Walls

Two of the three crocodiles that were caught by officers after being released from captivity in Gunung Calung Village, Sayang Village, Cianjur District, West Java, Thursday (3/10/2024). ANTARA/Ahmad Fikri

CIANJUR - A joint officer of Sayang Village, Cianjur Regency, West Java, managed to catch 3 crocodiles entrusted by the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) measuring 3 to 5 meters after escaping from captivity due to a broken wall.

The head of Sayang Wiji Eko Village in Cianjur Thursday, said that the breaking of the crocodile breeding wall on the land belonging to a businessman in Gunung Calung Village, Sayang Village, began when it rained heavily with strong winds on Wednesday, October 2 night.

"Buaya yang ada di dalam penangkaran sekitar 80 ekor milik BKSDA sesuai yang tercatat dalam surat penjamatan, namun kami belum tahu berapa jumlah yang kabur, baru tiga yang sudah berhasil ditangkap," katanya dilansir ANTARA.

He explained that dozens of crocodiles have been entrusted by BKSDA since 2016 in captivity located in the excavation area C belonging to Cianjur businessmen, allegedly crocodiles that fled around the excavation and river as well as rice fields near residential areas.

Until now, he said, joint officers including captive employees and residents participated in combing a number of locations along the river and rice fields owned by residents, even residents were asked to report immediately if they saw crocodiles.

"We have asked residents through the head of the local RT and RW to report immediately if they find a crocodile that has escaped from captivity, to determine how many have been released, we are still waiting for officers from the BKSDA," he said.

Meanwhile, information from local residents said that initially they did not know that a crocodile had escaped from captivity, but by noon residents saw several captive employees and officers from the village securing one crocodile from the rice fields.

Residents helped search for the jasmine animal and again found two crocodiles measuring about 5 meters in the sand dug area not far from captivity.

"We don't know for sure how much is released from captivity, only three have been caught, nor are we afraid because the size of the crocodile being hit in that location is large, it could be that more than three have been released," said a resident around Didin.