BPBD asks fishermen in Bintan Riau not to go out to sea at night to prevent crocodile attacks

Adult crocodiles in the upper reaches of the river. (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) appeals to fishermen in Bintan Regency, Riau Islands (Kepri), not to go to sea at night to prevent potential crocodile attacks which have recently become increasingly rampant in the local coastal area.

"Crocodiles are very aggressive at night and easily attack anyone, including humans. It is best for fishermen to go to sea after the Subuh prayer," said Head of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the Bintan Regency BPBD, Muhammad Mi'raj, Friday, quoted by Antara.

In addition, coastal communities are also urged not to carelessly throw away garbage or food waste in the sea because it can trigger the emergence of crocodiles.

Mi'raj gave an example that on the coast of Teluk Bintan there is a livestock area that throws chicken pieces and dead livestock into the sea.

Then, there are also community crab factories that dump crab waste in the surrounding waters.

"The smell of rotten food like that attracts crocodiles to the surface and risks threatening the safety of coastal residents," he said.

According to him, the presence of crocodiles on the coast of Bintan is currently increasingly disturbing residents, especially after the crocodile attack case that killed a Tembeling fisherman while sailing on Friday, January 16, 2026.

The appearance of the crocodile is also inseparable from the condition of global warming which triggers the sea water temperature to rise. The impact, the crocodile often appears on the surface to find a comfortable place and a lot of food.

"People also have to understand the behavior of crocodiles. The nature of crocodiles will usually not attack if their habitat is not disturbed," he said.

BPBD Bintan hopes that the authorities, in this case the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), will immediately execute the crocodile into a breeding or shelter, considering the increasingly dangerous and aggressive crocodile threat. The Bintan Regency Government is also drafting the formation of a crocodile handling task force in the area.

From the report received by the BPBD, he continued, almost all coastal areas in Bintan have crocodiles. Throughout the period 2022-2026, there have been four crocodile attack victims, two of whom died and two were injured.

"BPBD will immediately add the installation of warning boards at coastal points that are prone to crocodiles," said Mi'raj.