No Need To Ease Crocodile Hunting Laws – Len Talif

KUCHING, Oct 2 (Bernama) -- There is no need to relax crocodile hunting laws in Sarawak as the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998 is already sufficient to regulate the reptile’s population, said Sarawak Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development Datuk Len Talif Salleh.

He said control and monitoring measures on the reptile had already been implemented in an integrated manner, including through the issuance of special licences, conservation programmes, as well as relocation efforts in identified high-risk areas.

“So far, more than 70 special licences have been issued, but only two or three are active. This is because among Bumiputera communities such as the Malays, Melanaus and Ibans, there remains a taboo against hunting crocodiles, besides the high costs involved,” he said when met by reporters at the Media Appreciation Night organised by Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (Tegas) here last night.

He explained that since 2016, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has classified crocodiles in Sarawak as no longer protected animals, thereby allowing special permits to be issued under the ordinance for controlled hunting, whether for the trade of skins or meat.

Len Talif said the state government is open to considering proposals to provide special incentives for licensed crocodile hunters in the future.

For now, however, the main responsibility of controlling the reptile population has been carried out by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) through relocation programmes and controlled hunting (culling).

“We do not want to highlight the efforts already undertaken by SFC, as there are certain quarters in society who feel uneasy that such efforts might be seen as a form of cruelty towards animals.

“We want to make it clear that these measures are not about hatred towards crocodiles, but rather about safety, as the reptile can pose a threat to certain communities, especially those who depend on rivers in their daily lives,” he said.

He added that conservation measures are also being strengthened through the provision of designated crocodile habitats, installation of safety signboards in high-risk areas, and the CrocWatch mobile app that allows the public to report crocodile sightings together with location coordinates.

“These efforts are important because many Sarawakians still depend on rivers as a source of livelihood and daily transport,” he added.

-- BERNAMA