170kg crocodile brings life to sleepy town

IPOH: A group of fishermen here got more than they bargained for when they hauled up a 3.6m-long crocodile.

Fisherman Lau Kim San said they found the 170kg reptile entangled in their net near Sungai Tiram in Terong, about 80km from here, on Tuesday morning.

“When we were about to haul in our catch for the day, we noticed something big in our net and were shocked to see a big crocodile,” he said.

Not taking any risks: Villagers keeping a safe distance from the crocodile after it was brought into the town of Kuala Sapeteng on Tuesday.

“The crocodile began to thrash violently as we pulled the net closer to our boat.”

He added that several fishermen had to be called in to help tie the crocodile to bring it to shore.

Lau said the sleepy town of Kuala Sapeteng was all excited about the catch and some even took the opportunity to pose for photographs with the reptile, while waiting for state Perhilitan officers to take custody of it.

Perak Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department director Shabrina Shariff said the crocodile, Crocodylus porosus, was a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act 972.

“It is a healthy adult crocodile and it took about 12 men to lift it into our truck,” she said yesterday.

“The crocodile was released into its habitat later,” Shabrina said, adding that it took about an hour to get it back into the river.

source : The Star Online

date : April 01, 2010

by: Ivan Loh