BINTAN - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Bintan Regency, Riau Islands, has built public awareness of the threat of crocodile attacks on coastal areas following the increase in the reptile's population in a number of areas.
Head of Emergency and Logistics BPBD Bintan Regency Wiryawan Wira said that the location prone to the emergence of crocodiles is now spread almost throughout the sub-districts in Bintan.
"The crocodile-prone locations are spread almost in all sub-districts in Bintan, including Tambelan 18 points, Teluk Bintan 13 points, Teluk Kijang, Toapaya 13 locations and East Bintan three points," said Wira in Bintan, Thursday, May 21.
According to him, the public needs to increase vigilance when in areas that have the potential to become crocodile habitats, including avoiding swimming, fishing, and washing activities in vulnerable locations.
Wira explained that crocodiles are generally active at dawn before morning and in the afternoon until before Maghrib. However, he did not rule out the possibility that the animal was also active at night.
"It is not impossible that crocodiles are active at night," he said.
In addition, residents are urged not to throw away food waste, fish, meat, or chicken pieces on the coastal area because it can attract crocodiles to the vicinity of the settlement.
He gave an example of a case in Tambelan District, when residents threw chicken pieces from sales into the sea, attracting the attention of a large crocodile.
"Residents claim that the crocodile is tame, even though it is in a state of fullness. If there is no more food or hungry, the crocodile can prey on humans," said Wira.
According to him, the presence of crocodiles in Bintan is increasingly disturbing, especially for people who depend on their livelihoods on the coast and sea.
In recent times, crocodile attacks have even claimed human lives, namely two people in Bintan Bay and one person in Toapaya.
However, the BPBD emphasized that crocodiles cannot be killed because they are protected wildlife under the law. Handling is also constrained by the limited location of crocodile breeding or special crocodile shelters in the Bintan region.
"If you want to kill crocodiles, you can't, it's the same as violating the law," he said.
Currently, BPBD together with local governments and related stakeholders are drafting the formation of a coordination team to handle wildlife conflicts to minimize the threat of crocodile attacks on coastal communities.
"We also don't want Bintan residents to be victims of crocodile attacks," said Wira.
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