BKSDA Ensures That The Number Of PJK Batam Financing Crocodiles Will Be Released In Less Than Hundreds Of Heads

The team managed to evacuate two crocodiles that came out of the PJK captivity on Pulau Bulan, Batam City, Riau Islands, Tuesday (14/1/2025). ANTARA/HO-Polsek Bulang

BATAM - The Conservation Section of Region II Batam, Riau Natural Resources Conservation Center (BBKSDA) confirmed that the number of crocodiles that escaped from captivity belonging to PT Perkasa Jagat Karunia (PJK) on Pulau Bulan, Batam City, did not reach hundreds.

"Initial information from PJK, if the hundreds of information is not correct. In the pool there are 200 tails, but the size is large and there are floodgates that can be passed at once by hundreds of tails," said Head of the Conservation Section for Region II Batam BBKSDA Riau Tommy Steven Sinambela as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, January 15.

Tommy said that there were approximately five crocodiles that were estimated to have come out of the captivity pool.

Three of the five who left the captivity have been successfully evacuated by a joint team from BBKSDA Riau, Polsek Bulang, TNI AL personnel and the company.

Currently, two crocodiles are still being searched, it is estimated that the crocodile's presence is not too far from captivity considering that the crocodile is used to being fed.

"For the behavior of captivity crocodiles, it is a bit different from wild crocodiles or in nature, because they are used to being fed," said Tommy.

"So even if there is a flood, they will not escape quickly, that's their behavior," said Tommy.

The captive crocodile, he said, has other characteristics so that it can be immediately recognized, there are markers in the form of pieces on the tail fin.

"So it's actually a shame if it's not the original captivity crocodile that was caught, because the number of wild crocodiles outside captivity is also large," said Tommy.

Until now, the team is still working in the field to find and evacuate the captivity crocodiles that are still outside.

"The team actually worked at night, but so many public reports this morning, especially the PJK this morning has moved again to respond to the report," he said.

The release of the captivity crocodile occurred Monday (13/1) at 07.00 WIB informed by the public that the embankment or fence wall of the captivity pond on Bulan Island had collapsed due to the high rainwater discharge.