5 Crocodiles Escaped From Cianjur Shelter Arrested, Evacuated To Save Sukabumi Animal

Illustration of river estuarine crocodiles. (Unsplash- Joshua J. Totten)

JABAR - The Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) evacuated 5 crocodiles that escaped from captivity in Gunung Calung Village, Cianjur, to the Cikananga animal rescue center, Sukabumi Regency.

Head of Resort Region 5 Cianjur West Java BKSDA Andri Irianto said five crocodiles with an average length of 5 meters that were evacuated were crocodiles that fled after the captivity wall broke due to heavy rain accompanied by strong winds.

"Five crocodiles that were caught by joint officers and residents were evacuated to Cikananga, which was originally intended to be placed in Taman Safari Indonesia," he said in Cianjur, Friday, October 4, which was confiscated by Antara.

Meanwhile, dozens of other tail will be evacuated in stages while waiting for a proper place belonging to the hall, but temporarily deposited in the same location as the broken wall to be repaired so that no more crocodiles escape.

He explained that his party had left dozens of crocodiles in the captivity of Cianjur since 2018, but did not know how much the total number of crocodiles deposited to date is estimated to be no more than 20 although some mentioned 80.

"Our estimate will not be more than 20 although the initial news is that 80 were deposited, later it will be recalculated during the evacuation of all the crocodiles that were deposited," he said.

Meanwhile, the process of evacuating 5 large crocodiles to Cikantaga-Sukabumi, using two trucks requires 10 adults to transport each crocodile weighing nearly 100 kilograms into a truck tub.

Even to enter one crocodile, the officers assisted by residents took about 2 hours, until they finally departed for Sukabumi.

As reported by the joint officers of Kelurahan Sayang, Cianjur, managed to catch 5 crocodiles measuring 3 to 5 meters that escaped from captivity due to a broken wall, the crocodile was entrusted by the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA).

The head of Sayang Wiji Eko Village, 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 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, sudah lima yang berhasil ditangkap," katanya.

He explained that dozens of crocodiles have been entrusted by the BKSDA since 2016 in captivity located in the excavation area C owned by Cianjur businessmen, crocodiles that fled were caught around the excavation and into rivers as well as rice fields near residential areas.