Nine crocodiles caught in two days in Sarawak

KUCHING – Licensed hunters in Marudi have bagged nine crocodiles in two days.The huge catch in the town, about 69km from Miri in northern Sarawak, included two male crocodiles measuring over 5m long.The group, which calls itself Team Eric Cat, captured the two reptiles on Oct 14, adding to seven others caught the previous day.The group, which carried out the operation together with the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), said a 5.18m-long crocodile was captured first on Oct 14, followed by a second crocodile measuring 3.66m.The crocodiles had taken bait set near the Marudi government wharf and Marudi Bridge.Earlier on Oct 13, the team had caught seven crocodiles in the Baram River in Marudi, with the largest measuring 5.24m and the smallest 2.53m.The team had set bait along the Baram River on the night of Oct 12.“This operation is part of efforts to manage human-wildlife conflict.“It is also a safety measure along the river, subject to procedures and instructions from the relevant authorities,” the team said on Facebook.It also thanked SFC and Marudi residents for their assistance, adding that teamwork is vital in ensuring the safety of local communities. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK