BEAUFORT: Residents of Kg Selagon here heaved a sigh a relief after a 10-foot male crocodile was shot dead by State Wildlife Department rangers on Thursday following more than a month of monitoring.
Kg Selagon Village Chief Minah Diso said the reptile was shot at 9am.
Advertisement
.gif)
“The Wildlife Department had been tracking the crocodile for more than a month before it finally appeared and was shot. We are very grateful to the department for taking action,” she told Daily Express, Friday.
She said villagers frequently encountered the predator on the road at night, posing a serious threat to public safety.
“If residents walked without using a torchlight, they could easily have become victims,” she said.
However, Minah cautioned that the threat has not been completely eliminated as the crocodile killed was believed to be a juvenile, while its mother has yet to be captured.
“This means there are likely more crocodiles in the river, although we do not know how many,” she said.
Minah urged parents not to allow their children to swim in the river or engage in activities near riverbanks, including fishing, for fear of crocodile attacks.
“We do not want people enjoying a fishing trip only to be attacked by a crocodile. Parents must remain vigilant,” she said.
